Marba Titzenthaler, dochter van de fotograaf, in zandbak op het dakterras van het woonhuis in de Friedrichstrasse, Berlijn Possibly 1915 - 1916

Curator: This delightful silver gelatin print captures a young Marba Titzenthaler in what might be 1915 or '16, photographed by her father, Waldemar, on their Berlin home's rooftop terrace. She's in her sandbox, building… what? Editor: A castle, probably! Though with that high-walled backdrop, I'm instantly thinking of miniature fortifications. It’s the geometric starkness of those built elements against the innocent, almost cherubic girl that gives me pause. Curator: Waldemar Titzenthaler's photographs are full of such contrasts. Known for his portraits, nudes, and landscapes, here he's at his most personal, yet retains that formal rigor. The high contrast amplifies textures; notice how the rough stonework behind Marba mirrors the granular quality of the sand. Editor: Absolutely. It’s this juxtaposition of textures that I find so compelling, especially given the medium. This almost tangible realism set against something ephemeral – a child’s game, the fleeting moment – speaks volumes. The slightly off-center composition also subtly draws you in, as does that innocent, outstretched hand. It could be an invitation… or an instruction. Curator: You know, I love that tension, that little game she's conducting! And this domestic idyll is charged with the premonitions of the horrors to come—Berlin soon entered a period of great social upheaval as the War came to an end and the Weimar Republic took hold. Editor: That element of history weighs heavily here, doesn't it? Thinking of what happened afterwards throws everything into sharp relief: the innocence of the scene, that stark architectural frame containing Marba...It gives this photo a much broader and, dare I say, darker scope than what meets the eye initially. Curator: Ultimately, it's a poignant reminder that within the grand narrative of history, these fleeting personal moments endure, captured like sandcastles against the tides of time. Editor: Well said! And that’s why I appreciate its composition all the more - Waldemar created more than a genre photograph; he really froze a very specific and revealing instant in time.