Groepsportret van een onbekend gezin bestaande uit man, vrouw en twee kinderen, Nederlands-Indië 1900 - 1920

This is a photograph of a family, taken in the Dutch East Indies by L. Che Lan & Co. What strikes me is the formality of the subjects, and I feel for them, having to pose so still. It reminds me of how when I’m painting I hold my breath, caught between wanting to let loose and the feeling of being trapped within the act of creation. There’s an emotional resonance, a sense of longing, perhaps due to the sepia tones. It’s like the photograph is trying to tell a story, but the details are obscured by time and distance. The composition is so classic, echoing family portraits across different cultures. It suggests a yearning for connection and understanding. Much like painting, photography can be about capturing a moment but it is equally about creating a space for reflection. The act of posing and arranging echoes how artists throughout time build upon each other’s methods and ideas, constantly reinterpreting and reimagining the world around them.