Eugen Wachenheimer in het uniform van de Duitse marine, Istanbul, 1914-1919 1914 - 1919

This photograph of Eugen Wachenheimer in German naval uniform was taken in Istanbul sometime between 1914 and 1919. What strikes me about it is its sepia tone, an almost monochrome world of browns that feels like a memory fading at the edges. Look at the way the light catches the edges of his cap and the lapels of his uniform, almost like an accidental halo, lending an air of both importance and vulnerability to this young man. There’s a subtle texture to the image, the paper looking aged and almost velvety in places. It’s a modest print; the marks of a seal at the bottom right adding a formal counterpoint to his almost boyish face. This image reminds me of the work of Gerhard Richter, his blurred photorealist paintings which explore how photography mediates our experience of the past, often turning personal memories into universal reflections on history, loss, and identity. This photograph similarly speaks to the way images carry stories, even when the details are smudged or obscured.