Portret van een echtpaar 1880 - 1910

Editor: We're looking at "Portret van een echtpaar," or "Portrait of a Couple," a photograph by Franz Erkens, taken sometime between 1880 and 1910. It's striking how formal they appear, almost stiff. I wonder what their story is. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, I see a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era, a moment suspended in time. Look at the way they’re posed – she standing, he seated. It's a very conventional composition for portraying couples during that period, hinting at social roles. Her gaze seems a bit wistful, doesn't it? Editor: Yes, it's almost like she's looking beyond the camera, perhaps dreaming of something else. What do you make of the table between them? It almost seems to be keeping them apart. Curator: Good observation! The table does act as a barrier, physically distancing them, which could be interpreted as representative of the more reserved relationships of the time, you know? And that wonderful mustache, isn’t it glorious! It shouts status, confidence. What do you think he does? A banker perhaps? Editor: Perhaps. I hadn't thought of that. I was so focused on the formality, I almost missed the little details that hint at something more. Curator: It is those tiny human touches that give an object from the past the possibility to tell many many tales. The real skill comes in learning how to listen. Editor: Absolutely. I’ll certainly never look at old portrait photography quite the same way again. Thank you.