Portret van Irene With zittend op trap 1920 - 1930

This small, undated photograph at the Rijksmuseum captures Irene With sitting on a step, made by an anonymous artist. The sepia tones create a soft, almost dreamlike quality. It's the kind of image that feels both intimate and distant, like a memory fading at the edges. Look at the way the light falls on her face, how it seems to catch in her eyes. There's a stillness here, a sense of quiet contemplation. The textures are subtle – the rough wood of the steps, the soft fabric of her dress – all rendered in shades of brown and cream. It reminds me of the work of early 20th-century photographers like Julia Margaret Cameron, who were also interested in capturing something beyond mere likeness, something more elusive and profound. It's a reminder that art isn't just about what we see, but how we see it – and what we bring to it.