Zandvoort 1900 - 1905

This is a photograph album titled 'Zandvoort', likely created by Knackstedt & Näther. The album, with its brown leather cover embossed with gothic script, acts as both a personal keepsake and a reflection of broader cultural trends. Albums such as this, were popular among middle-class families, serving as a curated collection of memories and a display of social status. The gothic typeface, which translates to ‘Our Guests,’ evokes a sense of formality and tradition, reflecting the values of the era. It invites us to reflect on themes of hospitality, social bonds, and the performance of domestic life. Whose stories are being told within these pages? Whose are excluded? Consider the power of the photograph album as a tool for constructing identity, both individual and collective, through selective representation. As you contemplate this object, think about the stories it holds, and perhaps more importantly, the stories it doesn't. What can it tell us about the act of remembering and being remembered?