Portret van Eegje Haan 1912 - 1928

Curator: This is Alida Beerding’s gelatin-silver print "Portret van Eegje Haan," likely taken between 1912 and 1928. It captures an infant in what appears to be a very formal, almost theatrical, pose. Editor: Yes, the stark lighting gives the portrait a peculiar mood. The baby's pale dress against the darker fur creates such high contrast. It seems almost… ghostly, yet intensely focused. Curator: The realism in this shot draws me to its historical context, how societal conventions prescribed infant portraiture. Images like this were frequently about immortalizing fragile beings, standing in for a larger concern around infant mortality. What could a modern lens suggest? Editor: Certainly the historical anxiety plays out through our present-day understanding, amplified, perhaps, by the photograph’s stillness. Today, our perspective has shifted. There is almost an ironic reversal in that we now associate soft, posed infant portraits as hyper-curated identities on social media. Curator: The very composition seems symbolically staged, suggesting the family's anxieties about preserving lineage and heritage during periods of immense social transformation in early 20th-century Holland. The infant is literally placed on a pedestal. The question is for whose gaze? Editor: Well, in one reading, that pedestal symbolizes the socio-economic pressures imposed upon girls at this point, where her future prospects largely depended on finding a suitable partner within societal norms, so in some respects she would be displayed for that purpose. The vulnerability is laid bare. Curator: True, the very name—Haan— carries its own semiotic weight perhaps? Might it reflect not just personal identity, but also a wider symbolism connected to societal roles or lineage expectations for this little girl? Editor: The nuances you suggest of Haan resonate as we reflect upon her context, revealing intricate intersectional dynamics surrounding this girl’s existence and trajectory at the time. I am not sure it resonates though to every viewer as its specific location will impact cultural association. Curator: Indeed, layers unfold like time itself. Editor: Absolutely, engaging with this photo prompts valuable introspection concerning how photography intertwines with societal aspirations and the ever-evolving constructs of infant and girlhood identity.