Een Wehrmacht soldaat in een haven Possibly 1940 - 1941

Curator: This gelatin silver print, likely from 1940 or 1941, is titled "Een Wehrmacht soldaat in een haven" – A Wehrmacht Soldier in a Harbor. It’s currently held in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My initial reaction is one of stark stillness. The monochrome palette emphasizes the rigid posture of the soldier and the stark lines of the dock pilings. There is almost a mathematical clarity in the organization. Curator: Exactly. Think about what the harbor might signify. It’s not merely a geographical location; it is also the site of departure and arrival, points of connection but also of potential conflict during wartime. This photograph must be contextualized within the complex social and political realities of the time, addressing questions of power, occupation, and resistance. Editor: But notice the composition: the soldier positioned between these two large, painted pilings, the precise architectural setting receding into the distance. It is carefully constructed, and that placement frames him both literally and figuratively. Curator: Yes, but considering its time, shouldn’t we also examine whose gaze is being represented here? How does this image perpetuate or challenge notions of the occupying force? The work forces us to confront the politics of visibility and representation, particularly during wartime. Editor: Of course. Yet, that direct gaze is powerful precisely because of its composition. It draws you in. It almost suggests a stage, directing attention. There is no real narrative except for the immediate impression that’s being set. Curator: Precisely, and in looking at this moment captured we might consider the photographer’s identity too – were they part of the occupying forces? Part of a resistance movement? The socio-political framework provides necessary insights, adding a layer to any formal evaluation. Editor: Agreed, context matters, however there are some universal ways in which it presents a certain feeling via form; the contrasts, verticality, tone...It’s haunting from any vantage. Curator: Indeed, it lingers as a document rife with complicated implications, both immediate and enduring, begging that we unpack its historical freight and consider our own positions as viewers today. Editor: Right. A potent convergence, no matter how you approach it, of what the artist chooses to show, and what we choose to see.