Harten vier met drie jonge vrouwen c. 1900

This photographic print, "Harten vier met drie jonge vrouwen" by Adam Clark Vroman, presents us with a curious interplay of cultural signs within its compact form. The subdued monochrome tones lend a timeless quality, while the composition is structured around a central, pyramid-like arrangement of three young women, contrasting sharply with the standardized symbols of a playing card. The insertion of a staged photograph into the format of a playing card challenges our expectations. Vroman uses semiotics to make us question the relationship between representation and reality. The word "Bashful" inscribed on the image can be interpreted as a signifier of a Western gaze. By embedding this cultural encounter within the game's structure, Vroman compels us to reflect on the complex layers of meaning. Is it a commentary on the commodification of culture, or an attempt to bridge disparate worlds? The photograph's power lies in its destabilization of fixed meanings, leaving us to contemplate its enduring relevance.