Enkele dagen voor het 40- jarig regeerings jubileum van H.M. de koningin. Eereavond in het Gebouw voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen te 's Gravenhage Possibly 1938

This photograph, of Queen Wilhelmina at an honorary evening, was taken a few days before her 40th Jubilee. Although it's hard to see the color, there’s a depth to the darks, a tonal range that gives the image a certain weight. The photo isn’t trying to hide anything. It’s a record of a specific moment, an official occasion, and yet the subjects seem to be somewhere else entirely. I see the Queen reading, seemingly oblivious, while the other dignitaries look off into the distance. What are they thinking? Looking at their faces, I am reminded of those Dutch masters—the stark realism, the unflinching gaze. This isn't about creating a flattering portrait but capturing something more profound, more human. The details are what get me: the way the light catches the Queen’s tiara, the flowers. This image feels like a precursor to the work of Rineke Dijkstra, another Dutch photographer who also understands how to capture the quiet dignity of her subjects. Art is always about seeing, and photographs like this open our eyes to new ways of looking at the world around us.