Bruiloft Jan en Liesbeth Croockewit (1) c. 1915

This photo album page, Bruiloft Jan en Liesbeth Croockewit (1), anonymous, shows us the happy couple. It's a set of photographs mounted on a darker page. I think about the person who put this together. Imagine them carefully positioning each image, thinking about the narrative they wanted to create. The central image—the bride and groom under an arch—anchors the composition. It’s flanked by images of the wedding party, with the children in their sailor suits, each pose a little stage play. I sympathize with the original artist who had the patience to do this and I imagine them reflecting on the day, remembering the smiles, the speeches, the nervousness, and the joy. It’s like a painter building up layers of meaning. Each image resonates with the others, creating a rich, nostalgic texture. Photography, like painting, is also about building up layers of meaning. It is not just about the subject, but the moment, the feel, and how it all makes us feel. And that feeling stays.