Circus Artists, Cologne

In this image, the cast of circus performers, situated unmistakably offstage, is seen as individuals with everyday human expressions. We are given a rare glimpse into their lives that we would not be able to see from a seat in the audience. Sander was known to allow the subjects of his portraits time to relax before posing, giving them the opportunity to reveal their true personalities and present themselves as they chose to be seen. The way each sitter looks at the camera tells more about his or her disposition than a simple snapshot could.