Drie jarig meisje met NOMA (na mazelen), in de handen van de angstige vader. 1929

This photograph was taken by Hospitaal Batak Instituut. The gray tones and the soft focus make this image feel like a faded memory, a moment captured with both compassion and clinical detachment. I can only imagine the photographer, framing this image, thinking about the composition, light and shadow, but also about what it means to witness such suffering. The father’s gaze seems to look beyond the camera, lost in a world of worry and helplessness. The child’s expression is hard to look at. Think of all the choices the photographer made, where to stand, how to hold the camera—each decision carrying layers of intention and consequence. This image makes me think about how artists borrow from each other, seeing the world through the eyes of others while trying to make sense of our own experiences.