Exterieur van het foto-atelier van A.C. (Anton) Thomann, Wittevrouwensingel 91, Utrecht 1902 - 1910

This is a photograph of Anton Thomann’s studio, taken, presumably, by Anton Thomann. I keep thinking about what it must have been like setting up a shot like this. What camera did he use? And how did he plan the composition, with the dark trees framing the building? It’s a street scene, but strangely still. Look how the lace curtains create such lovely, soft lines. And the lettering above the shop – Anton C Thomann, Fotograaf – what font is that? I find myself wondering about the two figures, the man and the woman: Were they just walking by? Or were they asked to pose there? And the tiny dog! The whole scene has a quiet, dreamlike quality. Thomann was part of the Pictorialist movement, and I imagine him in dialogue with other photographers of the time, like Alfred Stieglitz, all pushing the boundaries of photography as an art form. It’s like they’re all talking to each other through their images, creating a conversation that spans across time.