Wilhelmina en Dootje van Zijll de Jong en een kind zittend in zwemkleding 1930 - 1935

Curator: This gelatin-silver print, captured sometime between 1930 and 1935, presents a seemingly candid moment of Wilhelmina, Dootje van Zijll de Jong, and a child in their swimming attire. The photographer has chosen a very classical way to immortalize them. Editor: There’s a stark, almost clinical quality to this image despite its apparent casualness. The tonal range is very subtle. It evokes a strange sense of formality and detachment, accentuated by the medium itself, gelatin silver lends such a cool surface. Curator: Consider how photography, even in supposedly informal moments, participates in constructing idealized images of families. Note also how the image presents the increased availability of leisure during the interwar period for the middle classes. The photo offers us a chance to look at evolving societal values and family dynamics. Editor: It is all about how the subjects occupy space in the frame. Notice the very careful placement of the figures against the linear composition, and the play of light. See how their positioning against the geometric rigidity of the built environment gives a silent story. The photo makes brilliant use of textures, contrasting water, skin, and concrete! Curator: What’s also fascinating here is that this snapshot gains importance as a social document. These images enter family archives, construct family narratives and later, become part of public collections. Photography's proliferation led to a democratization of portraiture but also allowed to establish new social roles. Editor: The contrast between the girls' gaze, almost confrontational, with the one lying on the slab that cannot engage with the spectator adds another interesting dimension in terms of narrative and composition. The geometry lends it some timeless features, a nice slice of life overall. Curator: Indeed, viewing this, we glimpse the private made public, opening a window into the past. These works capture not just individuals, but offer nuanced narratives of social life. Editor: This photographic moment makes one ponder the simple joys framed in monochrome - timeless!