Interieur met schilderijen, mogelijk een museum 1890 - 1920

This black and white photograph, made by W. Köhnen & Sohn, shows us an ‘Interior with paintings, possibly a museum.’ I love this image because it pictures a room full of paintings. I mean, what could be better than that? And it’s got this slightly faded look, like an old memory. I can almost smell the dust and linseed oil. I imagine the photographer carefully arranging the scene, wanting to capture that feeling when you see paintings grouped together. It reminds me of when I’m installing a show. How do I want people to see these works? What conversations do I want them to have with each other? What kind of world does this all create? I think that artists, whether they are painters or photographers, are always in dialogue, always responding to each other. It's a back-and-forth, an exchange, each inspiring the next and building on what came before. It’s all so open and ambiguous, isn't it? It’s like one big conversation.