Portret van een zittende vrouw 1895 - 1920

This is a small photograph, made by Ferdinand Schmidt, of a seated woman. I find myself drawn to the way Schmidt captures light; it's almost like he's painting with it. You can see how it gently softens the contours of her face, giving her this almost ethereal quality. It’s a reminder that artmaking, regardless of the medium, is always a process of seeing and feeling. The tones are subtle, mostly grayscale. The texture seems smooth, which lends the piece this intimate, almost tactile quality. I like the soft focus around the background. It almost reminds me of some of the early Impressionist painters, like Monet, in the way that he’s really interested in these effects of light and atmosphere. Ultimately, art is about making connections across time and space, and embracing those multiple interpretations.