Plantage Accaribo 1913 - 1930

Theodoor Brouwers made this small photograph, Plantage Accaribo, on an unknown date. It’s a faded stereo card that shows two young girls, one on a rocking horse, maybe in the Caribbean? I'm wondering about the process of making this photograph. I'm picturing Brouwers setting up his camera, adjusting the focus, and waiting for the perfect moment to capture the scene. Did he direct the children, or did he allow them to play naturally? The photograph has a soft, dreamlike quality, as if the scene is taking place in a distant memory. It’s a bit like painting, how one gesture affects another and how these build a world of feeling. Did he plan this shot, or did he embrace chance? The composition is simple, yet the image has a strange power. I feel like I am eavesdropping on a private moment. Artists are always in conversation with each other, building on what came before and opening new avenues of exploration. And with photography, like painting, so much is about seeing and feeling.