Schilder J.H. Wijsmuller in zijn atelier aan de Overtoom 189 in Amsterdam Possibly 1903 - 1946

Sigmund Löw captured this portrait of painter J.H. Wijsmuller at his studio on Overtoom 189 in Amsterdam. Look at the painting on the easel – it’s all about capturing light and atmosphere, right? I can imagine Wijsmuller, totally absorbed, squinting, and mixing his colours just so. And then Löw comes along and immortalizes him in his habitat! There is a feeling of coziness, with Wijsmuller surrounded by his world of paintings and trinkets. You know, the ones that inspire you! It makes you think about how much an artist's space is a part of their work – like, is the studio just a room, or is it an extension of the artist’s brain? The painting style that Wijsmuller seems to be favouring – the calm, contemplative scenes – reminds me that artists always talk to each other across time, picking up threads and reimagining them. It's cool how someone making a painting is a physical thing, like a conversation, or even a dance. You’re working something out with your body, but also with your mind, through the materials that are available to you.