Portret van Jan Willem Cornelis Tellegen 1910 - 1921

Here's a vintage photo made by J. Huysen of Jan Willem Cornelis Tellegen. It's a sepia-toned portrait of a man in a suit, head bowed, apparently writing. I imagine Huysen setting up his equipment, adjusting the light just so, coaxing his subject into a pose that conveys both authority and introspection. I wonder what Tellegen was thinking as he held that pen, suspended between thoughts and words? There is a sense of stillness, but also of potential energy, as if the next stroke of the pen could unleash a torrent of ideas. It's like the feeling you get before starting a painting, when the canvas is blank but full of possibilities. Just like a conversation with another artist, the photo transmits an understanding of the creative process.