Bezoek van Juliana, koningin der Nederlanden, en Bernhard van Lippe-Biesterfeld aan het prinsenjacht Hr. Ms. 'Piet Hein' te Muiden op 28 augustus 1937 Possibly 1937 - 1938

This black and white photograph captures Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld visiting the yacht Hr. Ms. 'Piet Hein' in Muiden on August 28, 1937, and it reminds me that art-making, like history, is always a process of framing and selection. The composition emphasizes formality and order. Look at the crisp salutes, the precisely aligned figures, and the ramp leading onto the boat – it's like a stage! The monochromatic palette adds to the sense of distance, flattening everything. But then, there’s that ramp. It doesn't quite meet the boat; it looks a bit precarious and temporary, doesn't it? That little gap undermines the image of perfect control. Think of it like a painting with a hidden glitch, maybe like a deliberately skewed line that keeps the whole thing from feeling too stiff, or like a Warhol silkscreen that's slightly out of register. This reminds me of the work of Gerhard Richter, who also used photography as a starting point. Both artists embrace the accidental and the ambiguous. What does this picture really tell us? It’s up for grabs.