Portret van Wilhelmina, koningin der Nederlanden, Hendrik van Mecklenburg-Schwerin en Juliana, koningin der Nederlanden 1909 - 1911

Here's a portrait by Guy de Coral & Co. of Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, Hendrik van Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Juliana, Queen of the Netherlands. Looking at this photograph, I can feel the weight of history in the making, the sense of trying to capture a moment in time, in order to freeze it. I can imagine the family must have been still for quite some time in order for the photographer to capture a moment of their family life. The father seems proud and serious, the mother graceful, with a touch of nervousness that is almost palpable through the faded grey of the photograph. The little girl, the future queen Juliana, stares straight at the camera with the unawareness of a baby. It’s like they are performing for the camera, creating an image. It is staged, the arrangement, the subjects, and even the plant in the background, feel intentional. Painters are always looking at the past, constantly interpreting. The work of other painters makes me want to reach for my brushes and get to work. We all share in this long conversation that stretches back centuries. And like photography, painting helps us reflect on our humanity.