Meisje zit te borduren in een raamkozijn before 1903

This picture by Franz Eckhardt—of a girl sitting and embroidering—is printed in a book, probably using photography. Look at how the girl and her activity have been captured, coming into being through light, shadow, and time. I can imagine Eckhardt experimenting in his studio, pondering ways to show this girl's activity. It seems that the materials and processes involved in its creation are very important to the picture’s emotional and intellectual meaning. The grayness of the printed photograph is a powerful thing. Look at the folds of her dress and the shadow on the floor. It speaks to so much! Eckhardt and other photographers must have been in an ongoing conversation, and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.