Groep Jeugdstormers buiten geportretteerd Possibly 1934 - 1935

Editor: This gelatin-silver print, "Groep Jeugdstormers buiten geportretteerd," made around 1934 or 1935 and held here at the Rijksmuseum, depicts a group of young people. What immediately strikes me is their rigid posture and somber expressions, a striking contrast with what one might expect from a youth group. What elements do you see as contributing to this overall feeling? Curator: Focusing purely on its formal construction, we can analyze this photograph through its contrasting values and structural composition. The stark contrast between the light shirts and dark ties, combined with the subjects' arrangement in tiered rows, creates a sense of order and control. Notice how the geometric patterns formed by the rows of faces, especially framed within the textured border of the print itself, further emphasizes this rigidity. Does the distribution of light and dark seem purposeful to you? Editor: Definitely. The light is very even across their faces, giving a sense of uniformity, as if individual personality is being suppressed in favor of a collective identity. So, it's not just what is being shown but also how. Curator: Precisely. The photograph employs the medium of gelatin silver to its full capacity; the grayscale palette reinforces the seriousness. Think about how colour photography, if used here, might alter the viewing experience. Semiotically, the variations in the height within the picture plane add to a kind of power dynamic between youth and probable superiors. How do you read these dynamics from a formal point of view? Editor: Interesting. So the lack of color enhances the severity and the arrangement highlights power structures. Seeing it like that helps unpack what I initially sensed. Thanks! Curator: It is through analysing the syntax of visual construction – light, texture, form – that we find entry points for discussing meaning, and for this I’m appreciative.