The portrait of Agnes, one of Richard Learoyd’s most recurring models—of which Fundación MAPFRE preserves two versions—is rooted in the past, particularly in the very origins of photography, since it was taken with a camera obscura that was constructed by the artist himself. This technique produces life-size portraits.

Although the process is similar to photography, the true origin of the project lies in an experimentation with optics and its development as a tool used in previous centuries to aid in illustration. Despite being a glimpse into the past, this photograph simultaneously conveys the modern desire to portray the solitude and isolation of the human condition.