Koningin Wilhelmina, prinses Juliana en prins Bernhard in een rijtuig voor het paleis op de Dam in Amsterdam c. 1936 - 1938

This photograph was taken by Sem Presser. It shows Queen Wilhelmina, Princess Juliana, and Prince Bernhard in a carriage outside the Palace on the Dam in Amsterdam. The grayscale palette feels both intimate and distant. Photography, like painting, is all about process: the darkroom alchemy, the choice of lens, the framing of the shot. Here, the contrasts are pronounced. Note how the dark carriage and dark clothing of some of the figures act as a compositional anchor, setting off the lightness of the waving gloved hand. The composition directs our eye, as if we are observers within the crowd that has gathered to view the royal procession. It's a moment captured, but also a construction of meaning. I'm reminded of the photojournalism of someone like Henri Cartier-Bresson. However, rather than trying to capture the decisive moment, Presser seems interested in the performative aspect of royal life. The figures are arranged, yet they are also active participants. Ambiguity gives it power, and invites us to look closely.