Overdekt theehuis met mensen, in de tuin van Landgoed De Paauw c. 1913

Curator: Geldolph Adriaan Kessler, around 1913, captured this serene moment. The piece is entitled, “Overdekt theehuis met mensen, in de tuin van Landgoed De Paauw,” which translates to “Covered Tea House with People, in the Garden of Estate De Paauw.” What's your initial take? Editor: My first impression is stillness. An elegant pause caught in time. There is an almost dreamlike quality to the light; everything is softened, like memory itself. Curator: Precisely! Kessler was quite intentional in evoking that sense of memory and tranquility. This photograph utilizes a natural colour palette which lends itself to those qualities. I find the architectural lines quite interesting here. What do you think of those statues, bordering each side of the porch? Editor: Yes, the statues are a wonderful touch; I am so curious as to what these symbols mean. I feel as though these represent some kind of divine entity and suggest that perhaps enjoying tea in such a place of elegance borders on an ethereal experience. And what about the placement? On pedestals, almost at eye level…it flirts with power dynamics and class. Does the tea house itself serve as a status symbol here? Curator: Perhaps it does. There is something very intentional about capturing these people within this almost Grecian structure amidst such nature. There is also this contrast between the formality of the tea house and the almost wild nature surrounding it that I find quite charming. Editor: Absolutely. That controlled-yet-untamed tension adds to its allure, doesn’t it? You are essentially building paradise on earth. It is like framing the beauty, corralling what cannot be contained—like trying to capture smoke with your bare hands! It almost makes me long for a time I never knew, one of soft light, nature, and elegance. It is a snapshot of simple luxuries. Curator: Exactly. It’s like peeking through a keyhole into another world, really. Thanks for shining a new light on this timeless photograph. Editor: My pleasure, and likewise. It is always eye-opening how something old can teach us new tricks.