Bezoek aan Edam en Marken 1929 - 1931

Editor: Here we have Berti Hoppe's "Bezoek aan Edam en Marken," a series of gelatin silver prints dated between 1929 and 1931, documenting cityscapes. It’s interesting seeing photographs presented almost as collage in this album format, don’t you think? What strikes you most about their formal qualities? Curator: I’m particularly drawn to the grayscale and its contribution to the image’s mood. The lack of color reduces the images to their basic compositional elements – light, shadow, texture. The compositions highlight orthogonal lines of canals and architecture, and these are powerfully reflected by mirroring in the water. Editor: So you are drawn to the formal arrangement? It feels quite ordered, though the prints are presented as a seemingly casual arrangement on the page of this album. Curator: Precisely. This tension between order and casual arrangement creates a stimulating dissonance. Moreover, note how Hoppe contrasts textures—the rough stone of buildings against the smooth, reflective water. What is the relationship between the prints in terms of their organization on the album page? Editor: I think she uses empty space to bring emphasis to the top images, which each depict the main urban centres mentioned in the work’s title, contrasting with the last smaller landscape to provide an accent. I now notice the album’s plain page, contrasting with ornate photo-corners that embellish each image. Curator: Excellent observations. The framing contributes to a sense of preservation, perhaps even veneration, of the subjects captured. Have you noticed anything else about Hoppe's arrangement of images? Editor: Not until you’ve pointed it out. This deeper formal understanding really enhances my viewing experience. Thank you. Curator: Likewise, your interpretation has broadened my understanding, as well.