Portret van twee onbekende meisjes 1895 - 1908

Curator: Here in front of us, we have an exquisite portrait photograph, known as "Portret van twee onbekende meisjes," created sometime between 1895 and 1908. The gelatin silver print comes to us from the studio of E. v.d. Kerkhoff, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The mood strikes me first; it's undeniably melancholic, with these two girls caught in a moment of such restrained composure. You feel the weight of the era, right? Curator: Indeed. Looking beyond the melancholic air, the choice of sepia tones holds particular significance. Sepia, derived from the cuttlefish, gained prominence for its chemical stability, offering enduring permanence. But there's something else; the subjects of the photograph are both wearing a pendant of some sort around their neck. I think it's about something more intimate, familial, perhaps mourning even? Editor: Interesting observation. What catches my eye, though, is the stark simplicity in how this photograph has been preserved in an elaborate brass frame. The industrial frame creates an interesting juxtaposition that underscores how technological advances are being embraced within society while traditional notions of family and beauty still matter a lot. Curator: Precisely, the frame's almost militant geometric pattern seems at odds with the girls’ attire, creating this visual tension. Notice how they pose as stand-ins for ideals and morals as well as wealth—that kind of restraint is part of its code. The frame then almost becomes a container to hold this wealth. Editor: I also notice how the chain links remind me of assembly-line processes. Each girl looks poised to join the social structure with a mix of resignation and expectation in a rapidly modernizing era. There's no denying how powerful this moment captured on gelatin silver has been packaged in a means accessible for industrial production and later on, consumption. Curator: It makes you reflect on what has become of them since… They are immortalized here in a cultural artefact, forever suspended in their becoming. Editor: It does...an echo of industry framing youthful promise, destined for a life shaped by the times. This makes the materiality such a huge focus for the reading of that time.