Portret van Fritz Arlberg 1870 - 1885

Curator: Welcome. Before us, we have a gelatin silver print, a portrait, capturing Fritz Arlberg, taken between 1870 and 1885. The piece is part of the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: My initial impression is one of quiet observation. He seems…contemplative, doesn't he? Like he's caught in a fleeting thought. The sepia tone adds to this feeling of looking back in time, as if we are disturbing a moment best left forgotten. Curator: Yes, the sepia tones indeed contribute to that atmosphere, softening the image's focus and texture and thus drawing one's attention towards the contours of form, particularly evident around his facial features. Note also the framing around the central photograph. The lines help isolate him further in the piece. Editor: He reminds me of one of my grand uncles actually. Same solemn mustache and neatly kept suit and tie. Maybe if I stare at it for long enough, the photograph would age backwards. I'd get to know him in person. Curator: The framing here enhances the photographic portrait, effectively turning it into a piece of aesthetic appreciation. Consider the subtle graduation of light across his face, indicative of careful lighting techniques which lend shape to his facial structure and give a clear depth to the plane. Editor: Absolutely. I appreciate that this work exists, so that others who will never get a chance to interact with Fritz Arlberg, might at least catch a faint trace of him. Photography does help defeat the distance. Curator: Yes, these gelatin prints present a window into the social landscape of the 19th century, allowing for a tangible link to an epoch long passed. It makes me wonder about his own perception of the work and his place within this new form of media. Editor: It’s wild to think he probably never envisioned his photograph sitting here in this institution today, fascinating the public a century or so into the future. Makes you wonder about what traces we might leave behind too. Curator: A curious proposition, but perhaps an exercise best reserved for another reflection, rather than for today.