Groepsportret van drie jongens 1905

Johan Christiaan Reesinck made this group portrait of three boys with photography, but when is hard to say. The whole image has a vintage feel, which makes me think about older photographic practices. I can imagine the photographer setting up his equipment and carefully arranging the children in the studio to get that perfect shot. The kids would have to sit still and keep their posture while he tinkered with lenses and light. It's so different from our quick, digital snapshots today! I feel like the sepia tones add a softness, but the boys also radiate their own individual personalities. The boy on the right, in the sailor suit, looks like he's trying to be a tough guy, while the boy on the left seems almost shy. It’s funny how they all probably grew up together, playing the usual games that brothers play. Even without any obvious connection to painting, photography, like painting, captures something fleeting but tangible. It’s almost as if we are in dialogue with the artist, each learning from and influencing the other.