Ob. Wm. Meyer achter een bureau 1941 - 1945

This little photograph, “Ob. Wm. Meyer achter een bureau,” captures a man at his desk. It was made by an anonymous hand. There’s a quietness to the black and white tonality, and the way the light falls softly across the scene feels almost like a memory. The image has a slightly blurred quality. The focus seems to be on capturing the scene, rather than any specific detail, and it brings out a sense of intimacy. Look at the desk, piled high with papers and books, a vintage telephone sitting to the side. Each element seems carefully placed. I'm reminded of the work of Gerhard Richter. He also used photography as source material, but he embraced the blur, the imperfection, using it to explore memory and perception. Like Richter’s blurred paintings, there’s an emotional resonance here, inviting us to reflect on the nature of time, documentation, and personal history.