Vriendengroep met Loentje Onnen 1911 - 1912

This is a photo album page containing several silver gelatin prints, assembled by Carolina (Loentje) Frederika Onnen. These snapshots of friends, likely taken in the Netherlands around the 1920s, offer a glimpse into the social life of a particular stratum of Dutch society. Note the clothing and leisure activities. These signifiers tell us much about the subjects' class. The men’s suits and the women’s hats, along with the group’s outdoor excursions, suggest they occupied a privileged position. Leisure time, captured in this form, speaks volumes about social and economic realities. This was a time when photography was becoming more accessible, yet still a marker of a certain status. Historians use such albums as invaluable primary sources. Through details like clothing styles, settings, and group dynamics, we gain insights into the cultural values and social structures of the time. The photograph is not just a visual record; it's a cultural artifact that reflects the social conditions of its creation.