Isabel Wachenheimer als klein meisje in de slaapkamer, 1929-1931, München c. 1929 - 1931

This photograph of Isabel Wachenheimer as a little girl in a bedroom in Munich, was taken by a member of the Wachenheimer family sometime between 1929 and 1931. I love the greyscale tones. This is a portrait of quietude. There’s a performative aspect to photography, but in this image, it feels like we are seeing a captured moment. A child on a bed, looking directly at the camera. What was she thinking? What was she feeling? Maybe the photographer was a parent, patiently waiting to get the shot. Family photos like this are so important. They document and preserve memories. They are artworks made in intimate exchange. You could say, photography is like painting – only using light and time.