Portret van Jaroslav Kocián 1910 - 1915

Curator: There's a haunting intimacy about this portrait; the image is from between 1910 and 1915. It's a gelatin-silver print. Vaclav Vlasak captured the composer Jaroslav Kocian in a photograph with art nouveau stylings. Editor: My first impression? Slightly melancholic, definitely old-world, you know? Like stepping into a smoky salon with waltzes playing in the background. He looks like he is brooding about musical scales or possibly his love life! Curator: Precisely! Consider how photographic portraits gained popularity during that time. Photography started to evolve and became something other than just recording; this portrait becomes an artifact imbued with art-nouveau ideas. This allows us to understand that photography could go beyond reality to depict a certain aura. Editor: An aura! That’s spot on! And that hand—casually draped across his knee—is saying, "I am a man of refined sensibilities," you know? There is a performative element, don't you think? The bow tie, the jacket... it's not quite everyday wear; he is presenting himself. Curator: Absolutely, his look becomes symbolic, reflecting aspirations towards higher culture. And his eyes meet yours... it creates a bond with the past. The subtle pose indicates an attempt to bridge the gap between the artist's inner world and public persona. It makes you feel that you can truly access the subject in the picture. Editor: Which is probably the best kind of art really, don't you think? He has that kind of artist look where he wants to stare directly into the camera and then past it at the same time. What a trick, all those years ago! It reminds you that what makes us human goes beyond the current century! Curator: True, true... what makes us feel transcends any given moment. He presents us with humanity outside of time, outside of era. It serves to prove an unending essence. Editor: See! Brooding love affairs for all eternity! Glad we could get to the heart of it all.