Man in een schildersatelier c. 1900 - 1910

This photo, “Man in een schildersatelier,” captures a moment of G. Hidderley’s artistic process, though when is a bit of a mystery. It’s about layering, not just in the image, but in the story it tells. The grayscale palette emphasizes texture, from the smooth vases to the rough canvas. The artist seems to be playing with surfaces, revealing and concealing. Take the face of the painter in the background, his ghostly face barely visible. The physicality of Hidderley’s approach—the way he handles light and shadow—creates a sense of depth and atmosphere, drawing us into his world. It reminds me a bit of Gerhard Richter's blurred photographs, where clarity is sacrificed for something more elusive. Art, like memory, is often about what’s implied rather than what’s explicitly stated.