Dimensions: height 142 mm, width 92 mm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
This photographic portrait of Juliana, Queen of the Netherlands, was made by Franz Ziegler sometime between the wars. It’s fascinating to me how photography, even in its supposed realism, is always such an active process of selection. The sepia tones give the piece a dreamy, almost mythical quality, turning a royal portrait into something more personal. Look at how the light catches the pearl necklace, drawing attention to the neck, and in turn softening the jawline. It’s almost as if Ziegler is trying to capture not just Juliana’s likeness but a certain essence of her character. It reminds me of some of those early portraits by someone like Julia Margaret Cameron. There’s a similar attempt to get at something deeper, something beyond the surface. Ultimately, art isn't just about what we see, but how it makes us feel, and what it makes us think about the person in the picture, and the nature of portraiture itself.
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