Theaterstuk, twee Germaanse mannen en vrouw in het wit zitten rond een boomstam 1890 - 1920

Here we have a photograph by H.C. de Graaff, entitled, "Theaterstuk, twee Germaanse mannen en vrouw in het wit zitten rond een boomstam." The sepia tones give it a sense of distance. It is a small picture and there’s a lot of detail packed in. The characters are dressed in costume and gathered around a tree stump and the texture of the tree bark is amazing – the photographer allows the tree to be a backdrop. This could be a scene from a play. There’s something about the way the light falls on the woman in white, it almost feels theatrical in its presentation. The edges are soft and diffuse as if the camera is out of focus, or perhaps deliberately obscured, which helps to bring the three figures into focus. This reminds me of the Bechers, who methodically cataloged industrial structures, but here de Graff seems to be more playful. In the end, art is always a conversation.