Reisalbum van Étranger met amateurfoto' van Nederland, voorts Turijn en België c. 1885 - 1900

Editor: We are looking at a "Travel Album of a Stranger with amateur photos of the Netherlands, Turin and Belgium," dating from around 1885 to 1900. It's attributed to an anonymous artist, composed of collage, prints, photography and watercolour elements and held in the Rijksmuseum. The cover is austere and somber. How do you interpret a personal travel album through the lens of cultural history? Curator: That’s a very astute observation. Looking at this album, it's important to consider the rise of tourism and photography during that period. Who was this stranger, and what did they choose to document? What was their intended audience? Editor: Presumably it was a personal project but intended for viewing with friends and family later. Does its anonymous nature affect how we interpret it now? Curator: Absolutely. Anonymity makes it about broader trends. The rise of affordable photography meant more people could create their own visual records. This album embodies the democratization of travel imagery and the romantic gaze upon different cultures. Its very ordinariness gives a valuable insight into the habits and tastes of middle class people during that period. Do you think that they tried to recreate famous paintings from that period through the lens? Editor: Possibly! That hadn't occurred to me, but the composition would be significant if so. So it’s not just the 'what' of the photos, but the 'who' that matters in its interpretation, even if the who is ultimately unknowable, plus that we look for influence, composition and intended audience? Curator: Precisely. And how these images circulated and shaped perceptions of those places and the people depicted within. Considering the socio-political context gives even seemingly mundane personal artifacts new meaning. Editor: It's fascinating to see how a simple travel album can reflect broader historical and cultural trends. Curator: Indeed, it is a portal into a specific time and its visual culture, regardless of the lack of provenance.