Portret van een jong meisje met een hoed en gestreepte kraag Possibly 1912 - 1919

Curator: We're looking at a gelatin silver print, "Portret van een jong meisje met een hoed en gestreepte kraag," attributed to American Automatic Photo Cy., possibly from between 1912 and 1919. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the directness of the gaze and how somber it feels. The starkness in its tonality accentuates this effect; it’s beautifully composed in its austerity. Curator: Precisely. The tonal range in silver gelatin prints are wonderful to analyze, there is a stark contract against the subdued greyscale of the subject's features. It is a study in lines; horizontal stripes around her neck and waist sharply offset against the vertical symmetry of her portraiture. I see also semiotic weight in the accessories selected for the subject of the piece such as her anchor necklace. Editor: Focusing on materials and the labor behind the photographic process, you get a sense of democratization. This was around the time photography was becoming more accessible. Curator: You speak of accessibility; however, what interests me more is how the photograph functions as a social document. Look how she is posturing with such formality and resolve and how we read into it a story which frames a historical context for a new understanding about class. Editor: Consider though that this was most likely a commercial process. Look at the plaque in the corner. 'Brugstr. 25' suggests an address, indicative of photographic studios renting commercial property to produce these keepsakes for the local neighborhood. Curator: Good point. But that inscription does more work in shaping our narrative about the portrait beyond simply how it came to be produced. This adds to its unique quality! Editor: This piece exemplifies photography's role as a craft, bridging individual expression with broader social currents. A mass produced medium allows for democratization of high art! Curator: It allows us, as well, to see the formal construction as a cultural object and explore the artistic framework embedded in this image of girl and time. Editor: And, understanding its material origin allows us a tangible connection to that period, enriching our interaction with the historical era that formed it.