Portret van Carel Willink en A.M. Hammacher aan tafel c. 1930

This little black and white photograph, whose maker is anonymous, captures Carel Willink and A.M. Hammacher at a table. The image is so small, but it contains so much! I find myself drawn to the surface of the photograph itself, its slightly rough texture and the way the light catches the silver particles. It feels like a tangible object, a trace of a moment in time. Look at how the fringes of the tablecloth almost blend into the rough edge of the photograph itself. The composition is so direct, so matter-of-fact. The two figures are positioned symmetrically on either side of the table, each engaged in their own activity. Willink leans back, while Hammacher leans forward, pen in hand, ready to write. Is it possible this was a staged photo? Perhaps, but it's the stillness and sense of quiet observation that really captures my attention. It reminds me of the work of Lisette Model. Like Model, this artist seems to be saying that art is as much about seeing as it is about doing.