Portret van een man in uniform en een vrouw en kind Possibly 1901 - 1911

This is a small portrait of a man in uniform with a woman and child by Theodorus Ferdinant van de Pol. It's a photograph, so no paint, but the sepia tone gives a painterly feel, like an old master drawing. What strikes me is how Van de Pol captured the textures. Look at the tiny, soft details in the child's dress versus the stern formality of the man's military uniform. It's all in shades of brown, but each fabric speaks differently. The light seems to caress the surfaces, giving them a soft glow. It's amazing how a single color can be both severe and gentle. There's a sense of intimacy in this picture, despite the formal poses. It makes me think of other artists who used a muted palette to convey deep emotion, like Whistler with his tonalist paintings. There's a conversation happening across time, a shared understanding of how color and light can shape our feelings. It's a reminder that art is about more than just what we see; it's about how we feel.