Portret van An Kessler op een stoel op ongeveer 2 jarige leeftijd 1880 - 1920

Editor: Here we have a portrait from between 1880 and 1920, currently held at the Rijksmuseum, of An Kessler as a young child. It's a photograph, and something about the textures – the stiff lace, the worn backdrop – really catches my eye. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I immediately consider the photograph as a commodity. This portrait reflects the rising accessibility of photography during this period, transforming portraiture from a privilege of the wealthy into something available to a wider segment of the middle class. Think about the materiality of the photographic print itself—the chemicals, the paper—all products of industrial processes impacting labour and consumption patterns. Editor: That's interesting! I hadn’t considered the industrial side of it. The composition seems very posed, almost staged. Curator: Precisely. The child’s formal attire and the backdrop weren’t just chosen at random. They speak volumes about the family's desire to project a certain social image. Consider the labour involved in producing the child’s elaborate clothing and even the set. Were they purchased, or handmade? And what implications does this have for the labour conditions of the time? How might An Kessler's social standing influence your reading? Editor: I suppose I was only considering An, not who she represents and the economic structure allowing her picture to be taken. It puts a different perspective on it. Thank you. Curator: It goes to show how art can also be about understanding material conditions and labour. Editor: Definitely given me food for thought, especially regarding materiality!