Portret van Helga Franckenfeldt 1870 - 1885

Editor: So here we have a mounted photograph from somewhere between 1870 and 1885, called "Portret van Helga Franckenfeldt". The photographer is Gösta Florman and it is on display here at the Rijksmuseum. I’m immediately struck by the subject’s serene gaze and the ornate jewelry. What draws your eye when you look at this, particularly in the context of photographic portraiture at that time? Curator: Well, you know, peering into these old photographs feels like a little time travel. Forget Instagram filters; this is authentic portraiture! What I see here is more than just a record of a lady named Helga. It’s about presence, isn’t it? Her gaze doesn't meet ours exactly, but that averted look feels rather contemporary, or rather… she seems to resist easy categorization. And those pearls... Editor: They are captivating. Such a statement. Do you think the jewellery had symbolic value beyond status? Curator: Pearls often do whisper of purity, status and perhaps hidden tears – stories contained within layers, wouldn’t you agree? The whole image is imbued with what I would describe as… yearning, a delicate tension between revelation and concealment, and maybe a secret the camera couldn’t quite capture. What about you? Did it say anything else? Editor: I find it refreshing, the way it hints, as you said. Many times when observing portraits I feel almost locked by the intensity, this photograph's averted gaze made me curious to know more. Curator: Yes. The true mastery resides less in replication and more in instigating inquisitiveness. Which just adds another layer of appeal and interest.