Portret van een jonge vrouw 1882 - 1940

J. Digweed & Son made this small portrait of a young woman sometime in the past. It’s hard to say exactly when, but the sepia tone lends it a timeless quality. The texture of the photograph itself is smooth, almost polished, but when you look closer, you can see the grain, little imperfections that make it feel human. The contrast is soft, and light seems to fall gently across her face. It reminds me of the way Agnes Martin built up pale washes on canvas. I am drawn to the way she leans against the stone wall. It's a small gesture, but it adds a sense of depth, of narrative, as though she were waiting for something, or someone. This reminds me of Gerhard Richter's blurred photographs, how the sense of movement and emotion create ambiguity, like a half-remembered dream. Art, after all, is a continuous exchange.