Gezicht op en tuin met beeld van engel 1913

Editor: Here we have Geldolph Adriaan Kessler’s photograph, "Gezicht op en tuin met beeld van engel," taken in 1913. It's a stunning image of a garden featuring a statue of an angel, all rendered in monochrome. The composition and use of light evoke a dream-like, almost ethereal quality. What stands out to you most when you look at this? Curator: What intrigues me is the enduring presence of the angelic form. Even in 1913, amidst social upheaval and technological advancements, Kessler chooses to frame the angel as a central figure in this Edenic garden. Do you see how the soft focus almost seems to separate the sculpture from its surroundings? Editor: I do, it almost makes the statue seem like a apparition or ghost, rather than stone. Why do you think angels held, and still hold, such a prominent place in our collective psyche? Curator: Precisely. Angels, historically, are liminal beings – messengers between realms, symbols of hope, guidance, and divine intervention. Kessler captures this timeless symbolism, doesn't he? Notice how the dark foliage acts almost like a proscenium, staging the angel for our consideration. Its meaning shifts with each observer, laden with personal memories and cultural context. It could be peace, mourning, guidance or an ominous sign. What symbols do you detect in the photo, personally? Editor: It gives me a feeling of both hope and sadness. Hope because of the angel, but sadness because of the sepia tone and overgrown garden giving me a melancholy tone. It’s funny how one image can hold multiple emotions. Curator: Precisely! Photography captures a frozen moment but the photograph becomes a locus point to project personal associations to and project emotional value into; in this instance a garden, statue, sepia tone and specific arrangement of objects evokes unique response. It really captures a unique emotional intersection of hope, despair and memory within each viewer. Editor: I see, I am excited to see this picture in a new perspective! Curator: Me too! The garden is filled with symbolic power.