Twee mannen bij een kas c. 1900 - 1930

Curator: This photograph, titled "Twee mannen bij een kas," or "Two Men by a Greenhouse," was captured sometime between 1900 and 1930. The Rijksmuseum holds this gelatin silver print in its collection; the photographer is Richard Tepe. What strikes you about it? Editor: Well, right off the bat, it feels… muted. It’s a quiet sort of scene, all soft sepia tones. A little melancholy, almost. There’s something very grounded about the ordinary feel of this realism. Curator: Yes, the monochromatic palette certainly contributes to a somber mood. It makes us look closer to extrapolate what may lie deeper than the mere surface. The two men themselves, what symbolic value may they offer in conjunction with the modern construction in the background? Editor: Hmmm... well, they seem so small, almost insignificant, next to the imposing structure of the greenhouse. I wonder if it speaks to the shifting landscape of labour at the time and their relationship to the industrial revolution. It looks almost as though they are discussing how the old will give way to the new. Curator: A compelling observation. Notice how Tepe positions them centrally, drawing our eye, yes, but does that give them an inherent status to us, the viewer, versus, perhaps the structures which dominate? The photograph provides social commentary without being overt or condescending. I do believe there is reverence for tradition implied. Editor: That is there indeed... Tepe doesn't suggest whether it is negative or positive either. A slice of life without a firm conclusion. Almost dreamlike due to this balance... The composition leads you to create your own version of events. It has that ambiguity to it, where memory and truth entwine, and history blurs a little. It feels less about a document of realism, in that sense. Curator: Exactly! It is a perfect blend. Editor: Well, that’s given me a lot to consider! The weight of it all, contrasted with the seeming ordinariness – it’s really stuck with me. Curator: It provides great complexity while exhibiting seemingly "simple" and mundane life.