Fotoalbum met tien opnames van de inhuldiging van koningin Wilhelmina en de inhuldigingsfeesten 1898 - 1899

This photo album, made by Barend Groote in 1898, captures Queen Wilhelmina's inauguration and the festivities that followed. Consider the materiality of this souvenir. Its red cover, likely made from a bookcloth, bears gilded lettering and ornamentation. This wasn't just a record; it was a designed object, meant to commemorate a moment of national pride. Think about the industries involved: the textile mills producing the cloth, the printing presses churning out the imagery, and the binderies assembling it all. These weren't traditional art materials, but rather products of burgeoning industrialization. The album’s purpose, to be purchased and kept, speaks to the rise of consumer culture. It documents the event and also transforms it into a commodity. This is more than just a collection of photographs; it's a carefully crafted object that reflects the social and economic forces at play during Wilhelmina's reign. By looking closely at the materials, the making, and the context, we see how even a seemingly simple souvenir like this can offer a window into broader cultural and economic shifts.