Portret van Dootje met een man bij bomen 1934 - 1935

Editor: So this gelatin silver print, titled "Portret van Dootje met een man bij bomen" – which Google tells me translates to "Portrait of Dootje with a man by trees" – was created sometime between 1934 and 1935. The monochromatic image creates an air of solemnity. The bordering is ragged. They both seem distant. What’s your interpretation? Curator: What do I see? Well, apart from a delightful vintage photograph with that crisp gelatin silver gives, I'm transported back to the thirties. These were uncertain times. I find a quiet intimacy in this outdoor portrait. They appear together, yes, but seem in different worlds – don't you think? There’s a definite feeling of stoicism; like, this is us and our space in time. What strikes you most about their pose? Editor: That the man's pose conveys a confidence and pride while the woman's is comparatively constrained. The photograph really is a microcosm of the social constraints. Is that a fair assumption? Curator: Oh, I believe so. Consider that he positions himself front-facing with hands on his hips. Conversely, her hand barely grazes what is potentially a golf club? What seems to me to be an activity performed jointly. Do you perceive something similar in terms of class commentary here? Editor: I do now! Looking at it this way has brought so many subtle nuances to the surface. Thank you for shedding light on it. Curator: My pleasure. And thank you for noticing the quiet humanness within it, that’s art in itself.