Groepsportret in het atelier van Hendrik Herman van den Berg before 1894

This small photograph shows a group portrait in the studio of Hendrik Herman van den Berg. It’s fascinating to consider the context in which van den Berg, a white European artist, chose to represent this group, especially given the presence of a Black figure, "Karl F" in the image. During this era, depictions of non-white individuals by European artists often carried colonial undertones, reinforcing power dynamics and exoticizing the subjects. Here, Karl F holds a fan, and is positioned in a theatrical manner, which could invite a reading that challenges the viewer to consider the performance of identity, and the act of masquerade. What does it mean to be seen, and who controls the narrative? The photograph becomes a stage upon which questions of race, representation, and the gaze intersect. Van den Berg's work captures a moment ripe with the tensions of identity, inviting us to reflect on the complex layers of history embedded within a single image.