Portret van een man in militair uniform 1898 - 1940

This small portrait of a man in uniform by Charles Henri Schouten captures a moment frozen in time, developed through light, chemicals and paper. I wonder about Schouten making this, the patience involved in the dark room. Did he develop this straight away, or did he have to wait? Perhaps the man was in a hurry, off to war. What did it mean to have your portrait taken then? Now, we snap away without a second thought, but back then, it was a momentous occasion. I like how the frame is also part of the picture, it's all so contained and precise. Looking at the face of the man in uniform, I can see a softness, a sort of vulnerability. It’s a subtle contrast, this delicate expression framed by the rigid formality of his attire. Photography and painting have long inspired each other, as artists attempt to capture reality and evoke emotion through different means. It all contributes to an ongoing creative exchange, reminding us that art is never created in isolation.