Juliana, koningin der Nederlanden, en Bernhard van Lippe-Biesterfeld bij de kroningsfeesten te Londen op 13 mei 1937 Possibly 1937

This photograph of Juliana, Queen of the Netherlands, and Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld was taken at the coronation celebrations in London, back in May 1937. It was made anonymously. What strikes me is how the formality and occasion must have pressed down on everyone present. I mean, look at those outfits! Imagine the artist, trying to capture the essence of these royals, the weight of expectation, the scrutiny… I wonder, did they feel free to express their own vision, or were they constrained by protocol? The photograph is small, but it captures a moment in time, a meeting of worlds. The contrast between the dark suits and the delicate white fan is really interesting. The light and shadow play across their faces, revealing hints of personality beneath the veneer of royalty. Even in something like this, there's a conversation happening, not just between the subjects and the artist, but between the past and the present. It’s a document of a time and place. It makes you wonder about the weight of history and the power of images to shape our perceptions.