Else Wachenheimer-Moos als kind in zuid-Duitse klederdracht, gezeten op een balustrade met een pop in haar armen, gemaakt rondom carnaval in februari 1899 Possibly 1899

Editor: We're looking at a photograph, likely from 1899, titled "Else Wachenheimer-Moos as a child in South German traditional costume, sitting on a balustrade with a doll in her arms, made around carnival in February 1899," by A. Blankhorn. It has a wonderfully wistful feel, like stepping into a very precise memory. What captures your attention in this piece? Curator: Oh, the nostalgia! I can almost smell the faint, sweet scent of old paper. It is really more than just a portrait; it is a narrative squeezed into sepia tones. She sits there on that tiny balustrade, halfway between childhood games and serious portraits, dressed as if for a play, you know? The question pops in my head if we're not all costumed for something. Do you think that perhaps she sees herself a little lost in the costume? Is the doll meant to provide her comfort or act as a prop in some way? I imagine the photographer instructing her to sit there, holding the doll and the seriousness in her expression. Editor: That's fascinating. The costume does seem somewhat performative, especially given the setting. It really feels constructed. Curator: Precisely! Constructed identities are ever more present, aren't they? That almost forced gravity juxtaposes wonderfully against what might have been happening behind the scenes: Perhaps some jokes were told, and then stillness. Perhaps she fidgeted and wanted a glass of water, then had to straighten her hat. Don't you find it quite enchanting when a single image reveals an intricate drama unfolding right before your eyes? Editor: Absolutely. It’s less about the perfect image, and more about this sense of an experience being captured. I guess I didn’t consider that level of interaction happening. It humanizes the process quite a lot. Curator: Right! We forget these were moments in time, alive, vibrant before settling into silent photography. It makes one think twice about the stories *not* being told in a photograph. Editor: Thanks. It certainly broadened my perspective on portrait photography! Curator: And you’ve sharpened mine on remembering there’s a great deal of theatre that goes on. It always makes for a fun memory to contemplate.