Steek van ambassadeur A.H.J. Lovink c. 1948

Curator: This is a still-life photograph by Firma Noyen from around 1948, titled "Steek van ambassadeur A.H.J. Lovink"—or Ambassador Lovink's Hat. Editor: My first thought? Decisive. The angle, the close crop...it gives this formal hat a sculptural, almost confrontational presence. It feels staged, controlled. Curator: It does, doesn’t it? I’m immediately drawn to the hat itself as an artifact. It's more than just a piece of clothing; it’s an emblem of authority, of diplomatic service. The stark black of the hat against the bright trim –it projects a very specific visual language, evoking cultural memory and continuity. Editor: And it's consciously crafted. The texture of the hat is emphasized through photographic techniques— the rough weave of the dark material, the gleam of the gold braiding, the almost unruly fur trim all scream status and labor. It points to a network of producers and wearers, social stratification literally woven into fabric and worn on the head! Curator: Absolutely. Think about the psychological weight placed on such objects. Diplomats represent their nations. The hat symbolizes a set of responsibilities, expectations... a heavy burden of representation, distilled into this image. Editor: Right, and photography, the chosen medium, elevates this material object to high art status. That tension between a utilitarian object, made in a factory or atelier by laborers, and the ‘art’ of its representation—I find that revealing. Who chose to immortalize this hat, and why? What stories of labor, production and trade could this simple object unveil? Curator: I see this object transformed. It goes from a mere part of a uniform to become an encapsulation of personal identity and international relations, all while provoking curiosity. Editor: Precisely, and by foregrounding materiality, we are forced to confront a story, the complex machinery behind even a simple still life like this.