Tuin van het huis Kersbergen, Zeist, met onder andere zonnebloemen c. 1914

Editor: We’re looking at Lambertus Hendrik van Berk’s "Tuin van het huis Kersbergen, Zeist, met onder andere zonnebloemen," or “Garden of the Kersbergen House, Zeist, with, among other things, sunflowers," from around 1914. It's a photograph. There’s a rather dreamy feel to it; almost like looking at a memory of a garden. What stands out to you about this image? Curator: It's like stepping into a forgotten corner of a pre-war summer, isn’t it? For me, it's the sunflowers. They aren’t the cheerful beacons you might expect. Instead, there’s something almost melancholic about their slightly drooping heads, contrasted with those vibrant daises. I find myself wondering about van Berk’s state of mind. Does it evoke a specific feeling in you? Editor: Yes, it feels both hopeful and a bit sad at the same time. It reminds me of gardens in old estates. Was "plein-air photography" common at the time? It has an impressionistic touch to it. Curator: "Plein-air" is mostly associated with painting. Still, it’s intriguing to consider that impulse transposed to early photography. The way the light softens the edges certainly hints at it. What a fascinating tension—capturing a fleeting moment in a supposedly "truthful" medium! It feels a bit contradictory, almost like Van Berk attempted to make it softer by having flowers droop over as a sign of decay or something fading away in time. Editor: So it’s this very contrast that makes it so interesting! I never thought of photography being linked to impressionism this way, that’s insightful. Curator: Exactly! Perhaps he was looking to elevate the genre to something akin to painting, challenging the accepted definition. It is wonderful to just ponder! Editor: This makes me look at photography of the time completely differently. Curator: Me too, every time, my friend! Art never ceases to challenge us.