Portret van twee kinderen met een hoepel en een pop c. 1895 - 1915

This photograph titled, 'Portret van twee kinderen met een hoepel en een pop,' was made by J. Siewe. The brown sepia tone throughout the piece gives it an aged, almost dream-like quality. It’s like looking into a memory. The details are so interesting, especially the textures. You can almost feel the lace collar on the boy’s outfit and the smoothness of the doll’s face. Then, there’s the hoop, perfectly circular, and the only real spot of light in the composition. It is held delicately by the young boy. Look how the clothing envelops the children. These heavy materials have a weight and density. It has a similar feeling to the weight in some of Paula Modersohn-Becker’s portraits of children. Both invite us to pause and reflect on time. The simplicity and directness of the image is what speaks to me most. It resists the need for a singular narrative.