Max Dauthendey 1910

Nicola Perscheid made this photograph, "Max Dauthendey," using what looks like a large format camera and black and white film. Imagine him, under the dark cloth, carefully focusing on Dauthendey’s face. I’m drawn to the way Perscheid has captured Dauthendey’s gaze, slightly off to the side, as if lost in thought. What was he thinking about? Was he also trying to guess what the photographer was thinking? The textures are so rich, from the soft blur of the background to the crisp detail of his suit. You can almost feel the weight of the fabric. I wonder about the conversations they might have had during the sitting. Maybe they talked about art, life, or just the weather. There's a timeless quality to this portrait, a sense of connection that transcends the years. It reminds me that artists, in every medium, are always in conversation with each other.