Doortje Brouwers in koto 1931

Theodoor Brouwers’ photograph, "Doortje Brouwers in koto," now at the Rijksmuseum, invites us into a personal world, captured in a modest 88 by 58 mm frame. I imagine Brouwers behind the camera, carefully composing the shot, considering light and shadow, maybe thinking about the subject and their dress. The koto, a Surinamese garment, is a pattern of leaves, and the light falling through the tree above is another pattern. What was it like to be there with these two, the photographer and the model? I always wonder that with portraits. It’s a small, intimate work, like a secret shared. Photography is a conversation between the artist and subject. It brings us closer to understanding the artist’s relationship with the people around them. Like painters, photographers are in an ongoing exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. This photo embraces the ambiguity and uncertainty of life.