Koningin Wilhelmina woont een militaire training bij, waarin militairen een rivier moeten oversteken before 1915

This sepia photograph by N.V. Vereenigde Fotobureaux captures Queen Wilhelmina observing soldiers training to cross a river. I imagine the photographer, one of the N.V. Vereenigde Fotobureaux team, setting up their bulky camera, carefully framing the scene. The light, the composition, the moment – all have to come together just right. Look at the precarious bridge! You can almost feel the tension in the ropes, the weight of the wood, and the soldiers’ determined expressions. The texture of the image, that grainy, almost palpable surface, adds to the sense of being there. The Queen’s presence, a stark white figure amidst the browns and greens, lends a regal formality to the scene. It’s a snapshot of a specific time, a particular place, but it also speaks to universal themes of duty, resilience, and the human drive to overcome obstacles. Just like in painting, where each brushstroke builds a story, each element in this photograph contributes to a larger narrative.