Portret van een man in militair uniform 1897 - 1920

Fritz Juhl made this portrait of a man in military uniform, but we don’t know exactly when or with what. Looking at this image, it's clear that Juhl wasn't just snapping a picture; he was crafting an encounter. I wonder what it was like for the sitter? What thoughts went through his mind as he stood still, holding his sword and trying to look stoic? Was he thinking about his sweetheart, or his next battle? Look at the details, the way his uniform hugs his shoulders. I think this image asks us to consider portraiture itself: what we see and what we think we know, and how those two things are always in conversation, always a little slippery. Just like painting! I’m reminded of other artists who have played with portraiture, like Alice Neel, or Marlene Dumas. Artists are always speaking to each other across time, riffing on the same ideas, and it's what makes art so rich and exciting.