Vijf bosgezichten 1930

Editor: So, here we have Carolina Frederika Onnen’s “Vijf bosgezichten,” or "Five Forest Views," from 1930, a gelatin silver print featuring…well, five forest views. What strikes me is the rather somber mood, despite being a fairly standard landscape subject. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, Loentje Onnen. A kindred spirit, wrestling with light and shadow like a melancholic poet. Each little window captures a distinct, yet eerily similar, pocket of the forest. Do you sense how she's almost curating these spaces, almost trying to preserve something intangible? It feels deeply personal, doesn't it? I wonder if it’s her forest? Editor: It does feel intensely personal. It's like a glimpse into a private, almost dreamlike space. Do you think the 'impressionistic' tag fits well, given it’s photography and not painting? Curator: Good question. Consider how the soft focus, the misty atmosphere, mimics the painterly effects of Impressionism. Onnen is not just documenting a forest; she's conveying an *impression* of it, filtered through her own emotions and experiences. The silver gelatin enhances this, I feel. Doesn’t the lack of sharp detail force you to fill in the gaps with your imagination, almost as if you were there in that forest? Editor: I think so! It's making me think differently about photography and what it can communicate. Curator: Precisely! It reveals how a photograph can transcend mere representation, to become an evocative and personal statement. Loentje reminds us that even in the seemingly objective world of photography, subjectivity always finds a way. I imagine each one leads somewhere. Editor: Absolutely. It really encourages a deeper connection. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! Curator: The pleasure was all mine!