Roeiboten op de Wijnhaven in Dordrecht, gezien vanaf de Wijnbrug 1900 - 1920

Curator: This gelatin-silver print, "Roeiboten op de Wijnhaven in Dordrecht, gezien vanaf de Wijnbrug," captures a canal view of Dordrecht between 1900 and 1920. Editor: My initial response is tranquility. The monochrome palette, coupled with the stillness of the water and architecture, creates a feeling of serene everyday life. Curator: Indeed. And if we contextualize it within that time period, you have photography just transitioning to be more accessible. Cityscapes such as these allowed an expanding middle class a vision of their surroundings and civic identity. It documented growth but in a seemingly neutral fashion. Editor: I'm also thinking about how photography here freezes a moment—the leisure of rowing—which perhaps glosses over the lived realities for many in that area. Who is afforded that leisure, and who might be obscured in the composition's romantic vision of city life? What stories aren't we seeing here? Curator: A vital question! Considering its likely audience, photography like this reinforced established hierarchies through selective visibility. The inclusion of rowboats gives Dordrecht this feel of activity and wealth in Dutch society at the time. It suggests not only economic activity but also the idea of the waterways as the centre of society. Editor: Absolutely. We could ask whose perspectives are prioritized by capturing the rowing, subtly emphasizing bourgeois pursuits while framing others as simply background? There’s a power dynamic here in image making as much as within Dordrecht society. Curator: Precisely. Furthermore, analyzing the Dutch Golden Age influence visible in the structure and detail reveals how artists consciously or unconsciously invoked historical precedent to establish status. It uses traditional techniques of landscapes and genres to frame this reality of life at the time in a new artistic way. Editor: So while appearing documentary, the work has a social impact and it presents very precise viewpoints about leisure, economy and perhaps even societal power structures. Thank you for unpacking this for me! Curator: A truly multifaceted discussion on Dordrecht then and now.