Drie jongens in klederdracht, staande op een steiger 1920 - 1940

Editor: We're looking at "Three Boys in Traditional Costume Standing on a Jetty," a gelatin silver print by G. Hidderley, created sometime between 1920 and 1940. There's a somber tone to it. They look like little adults in their outfits, standing by the water. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a staged presentation of identity and the complex relationship between childhood and labor. The image, while seemingly a simple genre scene, speaks to a deeper social and political context. The boys are dressed in what we read as ‘traditional’ costume, signaling a connection to a specific cultural heritage, likely for consumption. But what does that mean? Who is consuming this image? Editor: I suppose tourists? People wanting to remember a place or time? Curator: Exactly. So, think about who is empowered to do the looking and archiving, and who is being looked at. And, importantly, the power dynamics inherent in visual representation and the creation of cultural narratives. Their clothing becomes a uniform, performing an idea of Dutchness that may be quite different from their lived experiences. It also makes me consider child labor. Editor: In what way? Curator: The traditional dress and serious expressions make them seem like miniature workers, contributing to the family income by representing their heritage for the camera's gaze. Are they actually children "at play", or is this performative? This highlights a tension between romanticizing a cultural past and acknowledging its socioeconomic realities. Editor: I never thought about it like that. It's unsettling, really. They seem burdened. Curator: Precisely. It makes you question whose story is truly being told and who benefits from its telling. Editor: So, the photo is not just a sweet depiction of Dutch children. It carries a weight of cultural expectations, economic realities, and power dynamics. Curator: Exactly. It shows that even the seemingly simplest image can reflect complex social and political structures.