Portret van een onbekende vrouw c. 1894 - 1909

Anton Cornelis Thomann made this photograph, titled *Portret van een onbekende vrouw*, sometime in the early 20th century. I wonder who she was? She's looking right at us, isn’t she? It's that direct gaze that's so compelling. I wonder, was she nervous, thinking about how she looked? Did she have any idea that this image would survive? What would she make of us looking back at her now? Look at the details of her dress – all those tiny flowers and the high collar. There's a formality there, but also an attempt at beauty and adornment. Thomann has really captured the light on her face. It’s amazing to think that a chemical process could produce such a likeness. In a way, all art making is a kind of alchemy.