Portret van een onbekende vrouw verbeeld als boeteling before 1903

Here's Otto Scharf's photograph 'Portret van een onbekende vrouw verbeeld als boeteling', its undated, but printed on a page. I can imagine it hanging there in the darkroom—dipped and washed, developed with intuition and process. What was Otto thinking when he made this? Perhaps he was thinking about the materiality of photography. The way light and chemicals interact on the surface of the paper. The way texture and tone can be manipulated to create a specific effect. Look how Scharf has captured the folds and textures of the woman’s gown. The way light falls across the form, creating a sense of depth and volume. You can almost feel the weight of the fabric, the density of the shadows. The photo reminds me of the work of other artists who explore the relationship between the figure and the environment. Artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker and Käthe Kollwitz. They’re all in conversation, across time and place, inspiring each other's creativity.