Studioportret van twee onbekende meisjes c. 1895 - 1910

Sander van der Zijl made this studio portrait of two unknown girls, likely sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. What does it mean to paint a photograph? I ask myself, staring at the sepia tones of this old image and thinking of how it was made. The texture of the print, the careful poses, and the faint, painted backdrop… I can almost feel the weight of the large format camera and the patience required for such a shot. I try to imagine Van der Zijl directing these young girls, arranging them just so, coaxing them to hold still in those tremendous hats. What were they thinking? Were they excited, nervous, or perhaps a little bored by the whole affair? The composition is so formal and yet the girls are so full of life. It's a tender image. It's as if Van der Zijl wanted to capture a moment of pure, unadulterated joy. These artists, these photographers, they’re all connected somehow, striving to make something beautiful that speaks across time.