Portret van een onbekende vrouw en een onbekende man, vermoedelijk uit of gerelateerd aan de familie Marmelstein c. 1891 - 1930

Friedrich Carel Hisgen made this portrait of an unknown woman and an unknown man, probably from the Marmelstein family. I love the way the subjects are positioned here, the woman is seated, her dark clothing is a contrast to the white bench and the man standing by her side, looking like he’s protecting her. It feels as though the background was painted, maybe in the studio itself. I can imagine the artist carefully staging this scene, thinking about the light, the composition, and how to best capture the essence of these two individuals. I wonder, what were they thinking at the time? The man looks proud and serious and the woman’s eyes are looking downwards. Painters are always chatting to each other through time, it's all about exchange, and that’s what keeps art alive. It's an ongoing conversation across time, and we keep inspiring each other to create.