Henriëtte van Bergen en Paul Riem in Londen 1932

Curator: Henriëtte van Bergen en Paul Riem in London, captured in 1932 using the gelatin-silver print method. There's a starkness to it, a contrast between the dark tones of their clothing and the brighter backdrop of what appears to be a grand monument. It feels very posed, rigid almost. What strikes you most about the visual arrangement? Editor: The couple in front of what I assume is a London monument – maybe the Victoria Memorial. It all seems quite formal. The monument in the background, the composition in general, how do you read it? Curator: If we examine the relationship between the figures and the monument, we can see how the photographer positions the subjects. The subjects are seemingly dwarfed by the backdrop which introduces an element of structural contrast between human temporality and enduring architectural grandeur. Moreover, consider the tonal range: how does the greyscale contribute to the solemnity, to the period feel? Editor: It really emphasizes the formality and distance. The shades create a mood. It brings attention to their expressions as well and invites consideration of the interaction between the subjects. Why choose this almost stark depiction for a personal photograph? Curator: We must not confuse ‘personal’ with ‘intimate.’ This could be interpreted as a document of a specific occasion or relationship status. Their gestures toward each other signal an interesting dynamic, framed within the rigidity of the photographic style, offering us, as viewers, an interpretation that the success of personal relationship in part depends on public display and agreement. Consider the semiotics of display here. Does this photo challenge conventional assumptions about portraiture, then, and private emotion? Editor: So, the medium and composition say as much as the subjects themselves, about that era of photograph and public image! I now consider my initial reaction and the depth that this approach illuminates beyond the surface. Curator: Indeed. This approach, viewing intrinsic properties first, enhances our appreciation of any photograph or portrait beyond what appears at first glance. The historical context gives it an aura of meaning, an aura of meaning.