Gezelschap zittend aan tafel naast een tennisbaan before 1894

Hendrik Herman van den Berg captured this image of a group sitting at a table by a tennis court with an analog camera. Van den Berg, who lived through both World Wars, offers us a glimpse into the leisurely life of the Dutch upper class during a time of relative peace. The photograph radiates an atmosphere of privileged leisure. The men, dressed in their smart casual attire, are attended to by a waiter in the background. This server might represent a class often overlooked in art. While the photograph doesn’t challenge conventional social roles, it invites us to consider the dynamics of labor and leisure. The tennis court nearby signifies not just recreation, but a space where social status is performed and reinforced. What does it mean to have the time and resources for such activities? This seemingly simple scene is a mirror reflecting the complexities of Dutch society in the early twentieth century.