Echtpaar Berti Hoppe en Herman Besselaar in Lochem en Ruurlo 1932 - 1939

Editor: This is a gelatin-silver print from sometime between 1932 and 1939, titled *Echtpaar Berti Hoppe en Herman Besselaar in Lochem en Ruurlo.* It’s presented as a page from a photo album. The geometric arrangement of the images really stands out. How would you approach analysing a piece like this? Curator: From a formalist perspective, it is compelling to observe the interplay of form and content. The composition, featuring several smaller photographs arranged on a larger dark field, calls attention to the photographic object itself. Editor: So, it’s less about what’s depicted, and more about how it’s all put together? Curator: Precisely. Consider the monochromatic tonality. It serves to flatten the pictorial space, drawing our eye to the contrasts between the glossy images and the matte background. This juxtaposition generates visual interest independent of the subject matter. Editor: I notice some images are of buildings, while others show people and animals in landscape. Does the ordering create some form of rhythm or structure? Curator: Indeed, you are noticing how the sequencing directs the viewer's eye and guides us towards contrasts in setting, size, orientation, light exposure. The juxtaposition of candid snapshots against posed images generates a tension which compels analysis. Are we viewing formal portraits or a family history, or something in between? The answer lies in its arrangement. Editor: I see, so by focusing on the form, it lets us analyse how the photograph communicates beyond the images. Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about. Curator: A formalist reading allows us to uncover the structure through its visual language and appreciate it for the conscious act of artistic intent that it represents.