Porträt Des Deutschen Schauspielers Fritz Delius 1920

Nicola Perscheid made this photographic portrait of German actor Fritz Delius sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century in Berlin. Looking at this sepia toned image, I can imagine the careful work that went into creating it. It's a reminder that taking pictures in those days was no simple point-and-shoot operation. I'm thinking about the lighting, the camera, the glass plate, and the whole darn process. Perscheid’s picture has a soft, almost painterly quality to it, so I can’t help but connect it to the art of his time. The muted tones remind me of Symbolist paintings. There’s a sense of stillness and formality but also a certain moodiness that I associate with that period. And who knows, maybe Perscheid himself was looking at paintings for inspiration, trying to bring some of that artistic sensibility into his photography. Artists are always looking at each other, across different mediums and across time. It’s one big conversation!