Herman Besselaar met de hond in en rond het huis te Rotterdam Possibly 1936 - 1937

Editor: This is a photo montage from, most likely, between 1936 and 1937 by Berti Hoppe titled "Herman Besselaar met de hond in en rond het huis te Rotterdam", made of gelatin-silver prints. I find the collection of images, almost like a scrapbook page, gives a peek into a quiet, bourgeois life. What stands out to you? Curator: The domesticity you pinpoint is a good entry point. These curated images aren’t just neutral records, but consciously constructed representations of identity. The emphasis on Herman, his dog, and the home life—even the landscape shots – situates him in a specific socio-economic bracket during a time of considerable social and political unrest in Europe. What does the "snapshot aesthetic" communicate, do you think? Editor: Maybe a kind of staged candidness? A desire to appear relatable and down to earth. Does that connect with broader trends in photography or social ideals of the time? Curator: Exactly! This is where art history intersects with social history. Consider how photography was becoming increasingly accessible, and how that democratisation intersected with aspirations of social mobility. The very act of documenting these ordinary moments transforms them, elevating them as symbols of achievement and belonging, while inevitably excluding other narratives. Who isn’t represented here, and what societal values are reinforced? Editor: So, it is less about this individual and more about what he represents within a larger social framework? Looking at it that way shifts my perception entirely. Curator: Precisely! By analysing those visual choices, we unravel complex stories about social stratification, identity, and representation in the pre-war era. This makes the album much more than an innocent snapshot.