Portret van een twee meisjes 1896 - 1920

Here is a little portrait of two girls, made by F. Engel. The image is caught in a sepia tone, that melancholy wash of brown that old photos have. I wonder what it was like for Engel, setting up the shot, making sure these two little girls looked their best, trying to coax a smile or a serious expression from them. See how the edges of the girls’ dresses almost melt into the hazy backdrop, as if their forms were still emerging from the shadows. It’s easy to imagine they are in front of a painting and, in a way, they are. That little bench they are sat on is like a stage or plinth, isn’t it? I imagine Engel trying to find ways to bring out their personalities, to capture something real. Each decision of the artist is a little gesture with big intention, like the confident stroke of a painter’s brush. And the way that light falls just so, it's not just a photo, it's like a faded painting from a dream.