Portret van David Williams als bruidegom met zijn bruid 1880 - 1920

Curator: Here we have an interesting photograph titled "Portret van David Williams als bruidegom met zijn bruid," or "Portrait of David Williams as Groom with his Bride." It's estimated to be from between 1880 and 1920 and is part of the Rijksmuseum collection. My first impression is of a posed formality. It captures a somber and subdued atmosphere, despite ostensibly documenting a joyous occasion. Editor: Yes, the grayscale rendering adds to that feeling. Focusing on its production, I am intrigued by the materiality of this historical photography, I mean think of the photographer’s process and the studio conditions. Look at the staging, those columns in the background are almost comically out of proportion but give an impression of social status to the marriage. It feels almost like an assembly line portrait meant for quick distribution across family lines, yet, this would've been a specialized task back then. Curator: Precisely. It provides a window into the cultural norms and social expectations surrounding marriage in that era. The framing in this case enhances that sense, highlighting a couple ready to take their place inside traditional gender roles, where she, modestly looks on, he confidently seated. The choice of background also communicates wealth but there's something unsettling about how sterile the shot looks. Editor: And we shouldn't underestimate the socio-economic implications either. Who could afford photography studios back then? These images became commodities for certain parts of society; objects of desire and symbols of bourgeois ascendancy. It reflects the transition in which the making of the marriage goes from familial agreement towards individual displays of public affinity. How that plays out over time for David Williams we do not know. Curator: A complex tension beautifully rendered, and preserved. Editor: Absolutely. This examination reinforces the relevance of photographic materiality and processes of value creation in even these small format portrait, and what the photograph represented.