Gezinsportret van familie van der Waals 1907

This photograph, a family portrait by Aleidas Christiaan Kunst, it’s rendered in soft monochrome tones that lend a timeless quality, making you feel as though you are looking into the past. The composition is formal. You have the parents seated with their children clustered around them. The texture of the image itself seems smooth, probably a result of the photographic process of the time. Look at the father’s suit, the subtle gradations of tone suggest a tactile quality, as if you could reach out and feel the wool. There’s something quite moving about the way the figures are arranged, each one seemingly aware of the camera’s gaze. It’s interesting to think about how photography like this was so different from our image saturated world today. I'm reminded of August Sander's portraits, the stark, honest depiction of individuals within a social landscape. Both artists capture something essential about the human condition. What is seen, what is chosen to be shown, it’s a conversation really.