Portret van J. H. Marmelstein Possibly 1914

This undated portrait of J. H. Marmelstein, by an anonymous artist, has a dreamy, sepia-toned quality. It's as if the artist was experimenting, trying to capture not just a likeness but a mood, an essence. I can almost feel the artist's concentration, tweaking the chemicals, adjusting the light. What were they thinking as they watched the image slowly appear? Were they striving for perfection, or embracing the happy accidents that can happen in the darkroom? The soft focus gives everything a slightly unreal quality. Her eyes are so direct, yet the overall effect is one of gentle mystery, a conversation between the sitter and the artist, a silent exchange across time. It reminds me that art-making is always a collaboration, a dance between intention and chance. And it’s the space between, where things get interesting. We see the world in each other.