Fotoreproductie van (vermoedelijk) een prent naar werk van W. von Kaulbach: Ottilie (Wahlverwandtschaften) c. 1860 - 1890

Curator: What a poignant image! Here we have a photo reproduction, likely of a print, after a work by W. von Kaulbach, titled "Ottilie (Wahlverwandtschaften)." The gelatin-silver print dates from somewhere between 1860 and 1890. Editor: Wow, a mother and child drifting along...It feels so fragile and melancholy. Look at how she bows her head, her clasped hands near the sleeping infant. What a mood of delicate grief. Curator: It’s rooted in Romanticism, channeling deep emotion. This photograph captures the spirit of Goethe’s novel, "Elective Affinities". Ottilie is a central figure, known for her devotion. Her story speaks of duty and tragic love. Editor: I’m really drawn to the setting too, though. Look at the way the light filters through the trees. It feels both comforting and enclosing at the same time. And a little boat with some books floating... It all seems staged, and almost like it would be part of a theatre play. Curator: Exactly, these staged photos offered a way to reflect the literary tastes and moral sensibilities of the time, bringing fine art imagery to a wider public. It's interesting to consider photography's role in disseminating such themes. Editor: Yes, because it transforms the whole feeling. While there's that undercurrent of grief that hits hard, there is, at the same time, this really compelling serenity. She seems resigned to her situation but somehow finds a deep bond to hold onto. What strikes me is her dedication... almost devotion to this child, who seems, like a real gift. Curator: And think about the public for these images. Viewers were grappling with rapidly changing social roles and moral codes. It offered a touchstone. I do also think about the original context when considering what the image means to me in today´s view. Editor: Ultimately, the photograph captures something timeless. Beyond all those layers of context it really reaches into very human spaces of loss and attachment. A quietly arresting artwork for any viewer.