Vrouw op een brug in de tuin van Landgoed De Paauw c. 1913

Curator: I'm struck by how still it is; a real captured moment. It's quiet, a little wistful even. What are we looking at? Editor: This is a photograph by Geldolph Adriaan Kessler, taken around 1913. The title translates to "Woman on a Bridge in the Garden of Landgoed De Paauw". We have it here at the Rijksmuseum. Curator: Landgoed De Paauw…a big estate, I presume? Editor: Precisely. A significant estate located in Wassenaar. This image offers an interesting insight into leisure and lifestyle of the wealthy during that time. See the woman on the bridge? Curator: Barely. She’s a tiny figure. That actually emphasizes the landscape for me. I see all these lush greens turning into sort of infinite depths with this repeating of trees, but I wish the photograph provided a bit more visual clarity. It almost looks like one of those vintage postcards faded over time. Editor: Indeed, the monochromatic palette does lend it a certain antiquated charm. You have to consider that in 1913 photography's aesthetic was evolving rapidly; it wasn't always about stark realism, but about evoking a mood. This photograph suggests more staged, constructed image. Curator: The staging is what gets to me. She's posed, you know? Almost doll-like on her small stage; like a mannequin in a museum diorama. And all those trees leaning over are making a gallery for her performance…so, how did this Kessler fellow fit into all this wealth and social position? Was he one of them? Did he come from this same class? Editor: Yes. Kessler came from a very well-to-do family and, therefore, this piece is interesting as a look inside of his lived reality and that of others in the estate. As he's photographing this "Woman on the Bridge" this artistic choice is made visible due to their access to a high quality of life. Curator: It certainly provides us with some food for thought. And for daydreaming…Thank you. Editor: My pleasure.