Portret van Anna Gesiena Jonker 1890 - 1910

Curator: This is a gelatin-silver print, a portrait of Anna Gesiena Jonker. It’s believed to have been taken between 1890 and 1910 by Gerardus George Johannes Mathijs Frohn. Editor: There's a delicate stillness about it. The pale tones and soft focus lend an air of almost dreamlike quietude to the subject, her gaze averted as if lost in thought. Curator: The use of the gelatin-silver process allowed for finer detail compared to earlier photographic methods. Notice the tonal range captured here, rendering the subtle nuances in Anna's features and the texture of her clothing. This creates depth despite the limited color palette. Editor: Precisely, I find it fascinating to consider the socio-economic implications. The labor involved in producing a gelatin-silver print at that time would have been quite involved. From preparing the glass plate to controlling exposure, and the chemicals used. It’s a deliberate act of record keeping but also constructing an identity. Curator: Absolutely, but also consider how her profile and pose operate on a more symbolic level. The crispness of the line of her jaw against the pale expanse of the background... the slight upward tilt of her nose gives her face an impression of restrained self-possession, a touch of early modernity. Editor: The buttons at her neck are also visually intriguing. Almost perfectly matching the shade of her complexion; in terms of semiotics it really blurs boundaries by emphasizing those corporeal connections within portraiture. What meaning, however, can be extracted now from that deliberate strategy, that then almost certainly acted as a societal signifier? Curator: These photographs offered more than just likeness; they crafted idealised images that reflected societal aspirations, and they still do. By observing how Anna Gesiena Jonker wanted to be perceived, we can look at how photography as an act contributed, and continues to contribute to self image making. Editor: And how remarkable it is that we’re still discussing its layers today. This really serves to emphasize its cultural legacy. Curator: Agreed, let's move on.