Portret van Juliana, koningin der Nederlanden, en Beatrix, koningin der Nederlanden Possibly 1938

Curator: Welcome. Before us is a photograph entitled "Portret van Juliana, koningin der Nederlanden, en Beatrix, koningin der Nederlanden," potentially captured around 1938 by Franz Ziegler. It’s a gelatin-silver print on paper, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It strikes me immediately as both formal and surprisingly intimate. The monochrome palette adds to the sense of history, yet there’s a certain softness to the light, a gentle gradation of tone. Curator: Indeed. Ziegler’s composition hinges on the interplay of strong vertical lines, established by the figures' poses, with the more yielding textures of the garments and the softened focus of the background. Note the texture of the fur trim, set against the smoother contours of Juliana’s face. Editor: That hood. It immediately evokes images of fairytale royalty, innocence swaddled in ermine. The cloak is deeply symbolic. But look closer – the child's gaze, unsmiling, almost confronts the viewer. It's unsettling and strangely moving. Is it protection, a presentation of royal destiny? Curator: The photograph certainly utilizes familiar tropes of power and maternity. However, there’s a compositional tension between the clearly defined profile of Queen Juliana, her face a stoic, almost iconic mask, and the more vulnerable presentation of Beatrix. Editor: I wonder about the semiotics of royal portraiture in the pre-war era. To show tenderness, vulnerability in royal lineage; was this an active subversion of expectation, a move to create an iconography that was closer to its audience than traditionally depicted royalty? The soft photographic tones rather than bold brushstrokes seem intentional. Curator: One might posit that Ziegler consciously embraced a naturalistic style. We must consider, the inherent ability to create direct records of the Royal family using photography over painted portraits; thus opening it to a mass audience through newspapers, news reels etc. Editor: The darkness looming behind feels, somehow, anticipatory. Perhaps my knowledge of what would happen a few short years later unduly colors my viewing. Curator: Regardless, the interplay between the figures offers a window into not just representation, but also perhaps something more profound: familial connection rendered into an indelible form by Ziegler’s camera. Editor: A fascinating blend of historical weight and subtle human feeling. I won't easily forget the feeling of gentle unease in tandem with the tenderness after encountering this photographic statement.