Portrait of Leiden Students, Israël David Kiek (attributed to), 1890

albumen print, h 132mm × w 97mm More details

Few people know this anymore, but the Dutch word kiekje (snapshot) derives from Kiek, the name of a photographer of Leiden university students. After a night out, they would knock on his door in the early hours of the morning to have him take informal portraits of them in an improvised courtyard or on a bridge. Far removed from formal studio portraits, these unruly groups convey spontaneity, directness, and life.