Dode Nederlandse soldaat c. 1940 - 1945

This photograph, 'Dead Dutch Soldier', was made at an unknown date, by an anonymous photographer. It's a small image, just a few inches wide, but it captures so much. It makes you think about the role of the photographer, the anonymous person behind the lens. About how they were moving, what they wanted the viewer to see. The monochrome palette gives the image a timeless feel, a sense of something that has always been. Look at the way the light catches the metal structure behind the body. See how it forms a harsh, geometric counterpoint to the soft curves of the fallen soldier. The grain of the image is really visible, creating a texture that feels almost like skin. It's gritty and visceral, reminding us of the physical reality of the scene. Like the work of Felix Nussbaum, there is a brutal, unforgiving vision to this image. The longer you look, the more details emerge, the more questions arise.