Dootje van Zijll de Jong, Corry Mak van Waay-Zulver en Henriëtte Wassink 1930 - 1935

Curator: We have here a gelatin silver print titled "Dootje van Zijll de Jong, Corry Mak van Waay-Zulver en Henriëtte Wassink" from around 1930-1935. Editor: It's a charming photograph! The three women seem very stylish, each with their unique take on 1930s fashion. I’m curious, though – how does a seemingly simple portrait like this function within its time? Curator: Precisely. It’s tempting to see this just as a snapshot of fashionable women. However, photographs like these also provide a crucial window into the social and cultural aspirations of the middle class during the interwar period. Who was likely to possess cameras and create such portraits? How might the sitters wish to be perceived, and by whom? Editor: I hadn't considered the photographer's social position! Do the subjects' clothes and presentation suggest particular values or ambitions? Curator: Absolutely. Observe their clothing. It suggests an effort at modernity while still adhering to certain standards of modesty and propriety. This balancing act was essential for women navigating evolving social expectations. Could this inform us of anything else, about gender and societal expectation at that time? Editor: Now that you point that out, their clothes do seem like they are trying to reconcile new trends with more traditional silhouettes, so there seems like there is the idea of wanting to keep up with society whilst not breaking any "rules" in a way. The location, in a domestic garden setting, adds another layer, doesn't it? Curator: Indeed. It underscores the importance of the home and garden as spaces where women exerted considerable influence. Furthermore, the act of recording their lives through photography itself became a statement of self-awareness and agency. Editor: That's a fresh way to look at this type of picture, especially when photography has become ubiquitous nowadays! It shows there's so much more to images than meets the eye! Curator: Exactly! The interplay of technology, social norms, and individual expression always shapes the narratives embedded in these historical photographs.