Portret van een man en een vrouw 1850 - 1896

Editor: So here we have a gelatin silver print, simply titled "Portrait of a Man and Woman" by Kasparus Karsen, dating roughly between 1850 and 1896, held at the Rijksmuseum. It's definitely got a formal feel – almost severe. I’m struck by the rigidity of their pose and the…distance between them despite holding hands. What's your read on this? Curator: Well, isn't it interesting how a single image can whisper so many stories, or maybe it's just a very still moment, captured forever? It speaks volumes about the conventions of the time, doesn't it? A formal display was so important, and perhaps any overt displays of affection weren't considered appropriate. I wonder, what else does their clothing tell us, would you say? Editor: Good point. They’re dressed formally. It speaks to a certain level of… middle-class respectability? Is there anything deeper in the composition or style that jumps out at you? Curator: Indeed, and it could also speak to an intention on behalf of the pair to signal a degree of prosperity. Notice the clean lines of the portrait though, and how it seems to be taken in front of a flat surface? Karsen used to shoot paintings of urban skylines and landscapes, yet the same realism applied in those prints seems to find itself applied to his studio portraiture here. Do you notice the same trend, or do I sound like I'm just making things up? Editor: I think I agree. It feels like a landscape…of two people. This really sheds light on it differently; the stark composition is so in keeping with the style and era. Curator: Exactly. It makes you wonder what’s not shown, doesn’t it? Sometimes, the most interesting stories are the ones the art doesn't tell. Editor: Definitely! I'll never look at these portraits the same way again!