J.B. Aug. Kessler met Margo Kessler-de Lange en zijn oudste dochter An bij een rozenstruik in de tuin c. 1897

Curator: This captivating photograph, captured around 1897, introduces us to J.B. Aug. Kessler with Margo Kessler-de Lange and his eldest daughter, An. It was taken amidst a rose bush in their garden. Editor: What immediately strikes me is how posed it feels, yet the presence of the rose bush injects this very gentle touch of ephemeral life into an otherwise still frame. The textural weight of the ladies’ garments against that foliage is interesting. Curator: Absolutely. There's a tenderness fighting against the rigid social mores. Photography, as a relatively new medium at that time, was itself still exploring how to capture life. Notice how the details of their outfits speak volumes. It feels like these stiff high collard outfits become heavy signifiers of both belonging and performance. Editor: I am especially interested in the material aspect of such garments and, therefore, the economic implications they represented. It speaks to the rise of manufacturing, tailored specifically for the wealthy elite, like the Kesslers, who had time and capital to be so leisurely posing in gardens. It really speaks to industrial change through visual clues and material reality. Curator: True. I’d add to that, however, that there’s also something poignant about preserving fleeting family moments, freezing them against time. It is their specific way to cope and remember a perfect bourgeois moment. Editor: Perhaps we could consider how the black and white photographic process further solidifies this freezing of time. The contrast strips away color and immediate vibrancy leaving only the raw bones of structure and shadow. Curator: Yes, everything here seems strategically positioned—the individuals, the light filtering through the roses. Each choice amplifies the inherent message that this picture seeks to transmit a composed reality. It has an enigmatic charm. Editor: And what seems initially a conventional family snapshot turns out a very well executed staged play on display! Thinking of labor, economy and processes opens a fresh reading angle, unveiling more depth layers behind these solemn characters under the gentle shadow of the roses.