Aubade ter ere van de geboorte van Juliana, koningin der Nederlanden, te Den Haag op 8 juni 1909 1909

This little photograph captures the "Aubade in honor of the birth of Juliana, Queen of the Netherlands, in The Hague on June 8, 1909." It was made anonymously. I imagine the photographer capturing this grand event. What were they thinking, with their heavy camera, trying to capture the perfect shot of the horse-drawn carriages, the crowds, the royalty? The grayness of the image almost gives it a feeling of quietness, as if the artist is inviting us to remember a scene of celebration in our minds. This photograph captures a fleeting moment in time, a public ritual filled with symbolism. This moment now remains frozen. I think of other artists documenting history, each adding their voice to a larger conversation about time, memory, and meaning. I wonder what Juliana would have thought of it?