Sarah Bernhardt als Hamlet 1899

Curator: This is a gelatin silver print from 1899. What we see here is the famed Sarah Bernhardt *as* Hamlet. Editor: It's giving major ghost vibes, no pun intended. Eerie, almost romantic in its desolation. Very old school portrait with an avant-garde twist! Curator: Exactly! Bernhardt took on Hamlet at a time when female interpretations of male roles were pushing boundaries and redefining gender in theater and society. Think about that in the context of visual symbols--a woman playing Hamlet carries a psychological weight beyond mere performance. Editor: Right? I'm almost mesmerized by the skull, but I think that's the intended focal point. It definitely says something about how timeless those melancholic ponderings on life and death can be. It's the 'to be or not to be' essence in one shot! Curator: Absolutely, the symbolism runs deep! The 'memento mori,' like the skull, would certainly connect to anxieties about modernity and mortality. But there’s more, I think the choice to photograph it rather than paint reflects the evolving ways history itself was represented. Editor: Good point. A photo really freezes her version in time, as if to cement her as *the* Hamlet. The soft-focus kinda enhances this effect making it feel dreamy and solid at the same time! The outfit she is wearing just screams the ancients, love it. Curator: The "ancients" art movement played with that sentiment for sure, evoking nostalgia in uncertain times. The Symbolism aesthetic works well in this respect too! This picture manages to collapse timelines. Bernhardt as Hamlet becomes an icon of defiant self-expression. Editor: See, looking at this I wanna run to the theatre and soak it all in; tragedy, madness, everything! You've given me such a new appreciation of a very 'Hamlet' photograph. Curator: Agreed! Exploring symbols helps us trace continuities in what is relevant. And Bernhardt found the universal human experience in it!