Portret van Geertje Vink 1857 - 1898

Editor: So here we have "Portret van Geertje Vink," taken sometime between 1857 and 1898 by P. Siewers & Zoon, an albumen print. It’s… remarkably composed, really, for such an old photograph, but it also feels very staged. What do you see in it? Curator: Oh, staged it certainly is! Though it's got this lovely aged paper, like a forgotten poem tucked away. The woman looks serene, almost resigned. She's framed, isn't she, within the photograph like a character in a play – and also by that curtain behind. Do you feel like it's romantic, almost, with the dress and cap? Editor: Romantic isn’t the word that springs to mind, but I can see what you mean about the staging giving it a theatrical quality. I mean, there's definitely a certain... drama, maybe. More in her stillness. I wonder what the experience was like, sitting for a photo back then? Curator: Well, given the era, probably quite long and arduous! Imagine staying perfectly still, hardly breathing, for what felt like forever under the harsh light. All to capture one, singular moment. So when you see "vintage" like this, remember this instant might have been precious to someone and, well, also slightly irritating! But who was she beyond that instant? What do you think? Editor: It’s impossible to really know. Still, it makes me think about how much has changed—and how much hasn’t—regarding representation, or, in some cases, self-representation, I suppose, via photographs. Curator: Precisely. That stillness holds so much – it’s a conversation starter, centuries after the shutter snapped. So much contained in an albumen print. Editor: Exactly! Thinking about the time and effort involved certainly shifts the way I look at it. Curator: Indeed. Art asks us to slow down and really *see*, doesn't it? That’s where its power lies, I think.