Koetsrit over Vlieland 1931 - 1935

This photo collage titled 'Koetsrit over Vlieland' by Berti Hoppe captures moments of a horse-drawn carriage ride, possibly on the island of Vlieland, in the Netherlands. The black and white photographs offer a glimpse into leisure activities, perhaps from the early to mid-20th century. The snippets of handwritten German text add an intimate layer to the narrative, with phrases like "unser wagen" ("our cart"), "Dünen" ("dunes"), and "Wagen wechsel" ("cart change") hinting at personal experiences. A particularly evocative line states "ging entzwei und so zogen wir auf Schusters Rappen weiter" which can be translated to "went apart and so we continued on shanks' mare". What does it mean to exchange the ease and status afforded by the 'wagen' to continue on foot? Hoppe’s photo collage subtly invites us to reflect on the social dimensions of leisure, class, and the act of traveling through a landscape. It encourages a dialogue between the personal and the broader social experience.