A stark, historical black and white photograph by Dick W.B. van Maarseveen documenting a military funeral during the Second World War.

This photograph, captured by the Dutch photographer Dick W.B. van Maarseveen, documents a sombre military funeral during the Second World War. The composition features a line of soldiers standing in formation, their rifles raised in a salute over a coffin adorned with a wreath. A cross is visible among the attendees, indicating the religious nature of the ceremony. The image is presented as part of a larger collection, mounted on a dark album page alongside other photographs, including portraits of prisoners of war.

Van Maarseveen worked as a photographer during a period of intense conflict, and his work provides a direct record of the realities faced by those involved in the war effort. The stark, high-contrast nature of the black and white print emphasises the gravity of the scene. The soldiers are positioned in a rigid, disciplined line, creating a sense of order amidst the tragedy of loss. The inclusion of the serial number 80785 on the print suggests it was part of an official or archival record, typical of the documentation practices of the era.

As a historical document, this image offers a glimpse into the experiences of Dutch individuals during the occupation and the subsequent military engagements. The photograph avoids artistic embellishment, opting instead for a clear, objective depiction of the event. The surrounding album pages, which feature identification tags for prisoners, provide context for the photographer's broader project of recording the human cost of the war. This print is a reproduction of an original archival photograph, maintaining the integrity of the historical source material while allowing for a detailed examination of the composition and the specific details of the military ceremony depicted.