Portret van een acteur in kostuum 1904

This small photograph shows an actor in costume, shot by A. Baumann. It’s a portrait of a man lost in thought, maybe struggling with his lines or the weight of the role he’s about to play. I wonder, what was Baumann thinking when he took this photograph? Did he want to capture the essence of the actor’s inner turmoil, or was it more about documenting the costume? The texture of the beard and clothing suggest time spent carefully developing the photograph. There's a sense of intimacy here, a quiet moment of reflection before the performance. The actor’s gaze is intense and thoughtful. He’s not just looking at the script; he’s searching for something deeper within himself. Maybe it is how artists search too. By looking at each other, artists are in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time, inspiring creativity, and embracing ambiguity.