Blad 62 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949) Possibly 1934 - 1939

Editor: This is a page, Blad 62, from a register titled "Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage," or Register of Students of the Colonial School for Girls and Women. It dates from sometime between 1930 and 1949 and appears to combine photography and print on paper. It gives me a documentary feeling, almost like looking through an old yearbook or registry. What can you tell me about its importance? Curator: This work presents a compelling intersectional narrative, hinting at the complexities of colonial education and gender roles in the early 20th century. The colonial schools trained women with skills applicable to colonial society, so each name and portrait here can be seen as an artifact representing individual ambition and larger systemic power dynamics. Who were these women, and what roles were they expected to play in the Dutch colonies? Editor: So it's less about the artistic style, which seems pretty straightforward, and more about the historical context? Curator: Precisely. The stark format, almost bureaucratic in its presentation, invites us to consider the experiences of these young women who attended this school. Consider the mixed-media aspect: How do the albumen prints disrupt the print’s structured formality? What stories do these portraits, frozen in time, whisper about identity, expectation, and agency? Editor: That is thought-provoking. I hadn't considered how much the very format of the page could be saying. Thanks for opening my eyes to that. Curator: Absolutely. The real value here is thinking critically about how institutions shape individuals, and how individual stories reflect broader sociopolitical currents. This blend of record-keeping and individual portraits makes it a powerful testament to a particular time.