Loentje en Willy Onnen in een interieur 1911 - 1912

Editor: This is "Loentje en Willy Onnen in een interieur," a set of photographs dating from 1911-1912, attributed to Carolina Frederika Onnen. They have such a hazy, dreamlike quality... almost like memories fading with time. What do you make of these compositions? Curator: They’re evocative, aren't they? Like little glimpses into another era, whispering secrets. To me, they feel incredibly intimate – candid almost, even though they're posed. It's like stepping into their parlor, isn’t it? Three distinct glimpses. The figure with a giant fluffy dog seems very upper crust. Another featuring two sisters mimics the poses we see in formal painted portraits of the period but feel surprisingly informal. Then one shows the artist in casual garb surrounded by interior detritus of home life. It’s easy to think this might have been some experimentation. Editor: That's a great point. The way they seem almost casually arranged on the page… Were photography albums often displayed this way, almost like artistic studies? Curator: That's a brilliant question! Yes, photography was emerging as both a scientific medium *and* an artistic one, and albums like this blur the lines. Displaying images in different formats was a means to interpret relationships, just as you are seeing them now! The artist herself experimented a great deal with media, sometimes to comical effect! Editor: Experimentation... I like that. They’re not trying to be overly precious, capturing genuine everyday moments. Curator: Precisely! A moment that someone sought to savor or consider further by placing in this assemblage. And they are using photography for their own purposes – recording personal connections rather than historical figures or landscapes. They offer us not just a portrait, but a reflection. Editor: I guess that's the lasting appeal. It’s amazing to consider the impulse and purpose! Thanks for untangling some of that. Curator: It was fun taking this stroll through time together! Art never fails to deliver.