Studioportret van een vier mannen in een roeiboot c. 1905 - 1915

This studio portrait of four men in a rowboat was produced by Jacobus Marinus van der Peijl, although we don't know exactly when. The whole scene has a sepia wash, giving it a real sense of age, like a memory fading at the edges. There’s something so artificial about this image. The backdrop of the forest, the strange light on the water. It all feels like a stage set. But maybe that's the point? To create a reality that's slightly off, a little dreamlike. Look at the brushstrokes in the water. They’re so loose and gestural, not trying to mimic reality, but instead creating a sense of movement and depth. The man standing in the center is the most clearly defined. His crisp suit and top hat create a bold statement against the washed background. This reminds me of Gerhard Richter’s blurred photographs. Richter's work embraced the imperfections and ambiguities of human perception. Like Richter, van der Peijl invites us to question the very nature of representation. It’s a world that’s open to endless interpretations.