Fotoalbum met achttien portretten van mensen in Roemeense klederdrachten 1860 - 1900

Curator: Here we have an extraordinary photo album hailing from somewhere between 1860 and 1900, appropriately titled “Fotoalbum met achttien portretten van mensen in Roemeense klederdrachten”. It's currently housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Immediately striking is its somber aesthetic. The dark, textured binding almost emanates a quiet solemnity. The patterns give the impression of cultural ornamentation. Curator: Indeed. The album is bound in what appears to be heavily tooled leather. What might read to contemporary viewers as merely decorative, repetitive florets, actually suggests protection—shielding the precious images within. Notice their symmetrical organization. Editor: Symmetry often indicates balance, stability. Here, however, it introduces a rigidity, which in the hands of more modern book binders is seen as somewhat dull, I will admit. I would say that texture is more successful as the highpoint, it offers the tactile invitation to touch, a sensuality not usually associated with objects so… antique. Curator: But it’s precisely the album's age that is central to its interpretation. Think about the symbolic power imbued within this container! It safely holds images representing people and their heritage across time—their history, identity and dignity now enshrined, almost revered, in this formal object. The people in those pictures wore special cultural clothes in carefully posed settings, what we can think of as performative patriotism. Editor: And look at the subtle impression left by the geometric grid, in tandem with the central cross shaped decoration. Curator: Yes, very subtly evoking the intricate patterns found in traditional Romanian folk art. There’s a very compelling echo effect at play between form and content here. Editor: It offers such a tactile presence in the museum, doesn't it? Knowing it's guarding memories. Curator: Precisely. A tangible link to both individual and cultural memories of the past, preserved within a deceptively simple container.