"Amsterdam 1892, Gebed zonder End - Limited Edition of 20" Photograph

History has never been lived in black and white.

This conviction forms the foundation of Coloriginals, my ongoing artistic practice centred on the restoration and manual colour interpretation of historical photographs. Working from original black-and-white images, I carefully reconstruct colour to bring the past into closer emotional proximity—without erasing the character, atmosphere or authorship of the original photograph.

For me, colour is not decoration and the process is not simply technical. Every decision involves interpretation: the temperature of the light, the material of a coat, a reflection in a window or the restrained tones of a particular period. Historical research provides a foundation, but sensitivity, imagination and artistic judgement ultimately determine the image.

Cinema is an important influence. I approach each photograph as though it were a still from a film: a single suspended moment that suggests what happened before and what may happen next. Through colour, distant historical figures become recognisable individuals whose lives feel as immediate and vivid as our own.

My work has been presented in museums, publications, public interiors and exhibitions. Projects include the exhibition “Thuisreis – Marga Minco” at Stedelijk Museum Breda, books including “Vergeten Nederland” and “Brabant, zoals het vroeger was”, and large-scale commissioned installations.

Coloriginals was founded in 2014. I live and work in Breda, the Netherlands. My guiding principle remains: “In no time has life ever been lived in black and white.”