Echtpaar Berti Hoppe en Herman Besselaar in en rond hun huis te Rotterdam 1936

Berti Hoppe created this photo album page, Echtpaar Berti Hoppe en Herman Besselaar in en rond hun huis te Rotterdam, sometime around June 1936. The ensemble of photographs, arranged with care, captures intimate glimpses into the lives of Berti Hoppe and Herman Besselaar, and, of course, their dog. I wonder about Berti, arranging these images – little squares held captive on the page. The everyday moments are here: a dog standing guard, flowers, a couple, both together and captured separately in the park. Each print offers a different perspective, a different angle on their shared world. I imagine Berti carefully selecting these images, arranging them just so, in a tender act of storytelling. Did she want to remember a feeling? A moment? The quiet passage of time spent with a loved one? It’s kind of like painting, each decision contributes to the overall narrative. Looking at these photos, I am reminded how all artists find ways to make sense of the world through our work, and the things we choose to hold onto.