Portret van Tiny en Klaas Kleiterp als kind c. 1930 - 1935

Curator: This is a gelatin-silver print by Otto Hisgen, dating roughly between 1930 and 1935. It's entitled "Portret van Tiny en Klaas Kleiterp als kind," which translates to "Portrait of Tiny and Klaas Kleiterp as Children." Editor: The first thing that strikes me is their gaze. Both children look directly at the camera, almost accusingly. It lends a solemn, almost haunted quality to what is otherwise a fairly straightforward portrait. Curator: Agreed. The realism is quite arresting. I find it interesting that Hisgen chose to depict them within this oval format, a common convention of portraiture in photography meant to evoke fine art traditions, particularly paintings of previous centuries. Editor: Absolutely. And the symmetry is carefully constructed. Their outfits are very similar and plain; drawing attention to their faces, where we seek information about who they are. Those unsmiling, rather fixed expressions, amplify this sense of solemnity and the passage of time frozen within the image. Curator: The austere depiction may reflect the social context of the interwar period. In the Netherlands, economic hardship and political instability fostered a culture of reserve, mirrored perhaps in this deliberate lack of flamboyance. The studio setting, in itself, lent an air of formality to the entire occasion. Editor: It makes one wonder what stories these young faces could tell. The simple medallion worn by the girl – a potential symbol of innocence or faith - the somewhat severe haircut of the boy – suggesting adherence to societal norms of masculine presentation…all these small details coalesce. They whisper stories of cultural ideals and personal aspirations frozen in time. Curator: And while the individuals might be obscure to us now, the photograph remains a compelling artifact reflecting not just their likeness but the larger societal frameworks that shaped their world and identity. It becomes, in essence, a public document as much as it is a personal one. Editor: A fascinating reminder of the power held by these simple-seeming photographic objects, these windows onto forgotten moments and evolving symbolisms of childhood and identity.