Koningin Wilhelmina bij de vaandeluitreiking, gevolgd door militairen, Willemsoord Possibly 1904 - 1914

This photograph of Queen Wilhelmina at a flag presentation in Willemsoord was made by an anonymous artist. It’s interesting to me how, even without knowing the exact moment it was taken, the sepia tones make the whole scene feel like a memory or a dream. The artist hasn't tried to hide the physical elements of the photo. The surface is mottled, bearing the traces of time. The tones are muted and faded. It is easy to imagine how different this event must have looked in reality. The slightly soft focus feels like a wash that brings it together. The dark regimented lines of the soldiers contrasts with the pale shape of the Queen. Everything is made of soft transitions. It reminds me of a Gerhard Richter painting, where he pulls a squeegee across a photograph to abstract the image. The photographic image is not something fixed; instead, like a painting, it's something that is made. And even more than that, is something that is felt.