Decoratie aan de buitenkant van de Nieuwe kerk bij de ontvangst van Willem III en Emma in Amsterdam 1879

This photograph by Albert Greiner captures the exterior decoration of the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, awaiting the arrival of Willem III and Emma. The image’s material qualities invite reflection on the social context of royal events in the late 19th century. Note the sheer labor involved in producing the elaborate decorations, likely crafted by teams of artisans. These decorations, though temporary, are themselves objects of craft, demanding skills in carpentry, textiles, and floral arrangement. Consider also the labor of the photographer, Greiner, who captured the scene with a then-modern technology, framing the building in a way that accentuates the scale of the event and, by implication, the power of the monarchy. Photographs like these were crucial in shaping public perception. The image bridges high society and everyday life, using a modern industrial medium – photography – to memorialize a carefully constructed display of traditional power. The photograph itself becomes a crafted object, deliberately composed to broadcast social status and cultural values.