Portret van de zanger Louis van Tulder 1925

This photograph of the singer Louis van Tulder was made by Bernard Eilers, and is signed August 1926. The limited tonal range creates this feeling of a world seen through sepia-tinted glasses. I love the way it captures something about the era. It's like a peek into a different time. Thinking about the material aspects of this portrait, I’m struck by its intimacy. Eilers has worked with light and shadow, and the slightly blurred focus gives the image an ethereal, dreamlike quality. It’s a world of subtle gradations and soft edges. Look at the details around the eyes, how the light catches the lenses of his glasses. It’s as if we're seeing the singer through the lens of history. I’m reminded of the portraits of Nadar, who also seemed to capture something essential about the personhood of his subjects. It's all about embracing ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations. The best art invites us into a conversation, not just about the work itself, but about ourselves and the world around us.