Wilhelmina van Zijll de Jong met anderen op het strand van Scheveningen Possibly 1933 - 1937

This black and white photograph captures Wilhelmina van Zijll de Jong and her companions on the beach at Scheveningen. Just imagine the artist carefully framing this scene, trying to capture a moment of joy and connection! It's got that great snapshot quality – the subjects are relaxed, but you get the sense of the sitters' self-awareness. The way they are posed together, forms a bond of friendship, creating a space of warmth and familiarity. The textures, from the bathing suits to the sand, add depth and a sense of place. I am struck by the confidence in the sitters' gaze. How might this photo relate to other informal portraits, playing with themes of friendship, identity, and the fleeting nature of human connection? I bet this image has inspired other artists through the ages, each adding their own voice to the ongoing conversation around human relationships and memory. Photography, like painting, lets us see and think and experience the world in different ways.