Isabel Wachenheimer kijkt uit het raam, 1931-1937, Stuttgart c. 1931 - 1937

This small black and white photograph was taken by a member of the Wachenheimer family, between 1931 and 1937, in Stuttgart. It is a snapshot of a child, Isabel Wachenheimer, looking out of a window. The grainy texture and the stark contrast of the black and white, gives the photo a sense of immediacy. It feels less posed, more like a moment captured in time. I am really drawn to the the way the light falls across Isabel's face. It catches her profile, highlighting her gaze and the turn of her head. There's a sense of quiet contemplation in this image. It reminds me of the work of artists like Gerhard Richter, who use photography as a starting point for exploring memory and history. Like Richter, this photo invites us to consider the layers of time and experience that are embedded within an image, even a seemingly simple one. It is not just a photograph, but a conversation.