Portret van Arthur Moos, 1903-1922 1903 - 1922

This small gelatin silver print called "Portret van Arthur Moos" was made sometime between 1903 and 1922 by an anonymous artist. The way the photographer has carefully arranged the frame to create a classic oval portrait, makes me think about the history of painting, of how it was once the only way to capture someone's likeness, before photography came along and took over. I wonder what it was like for painters when photography first appeared, did they feel challenged or inspired by it? Looking at Arthur Moos's formal attire, I can see a direct line from the traditions of painting, and the human desire to capture a likeness. I imagine the photographer experimenting, observing the subject closely, just like a painter mixing paints on a palette, searching for the right tones and shades. That precise moment of creation is part of the artistic conversation that continues across time. And as artists, we learn from each other.