Portret van mevrouw Schmidt van Gelder-Coster en Jet Boelen c. 1874 - 1887

Editor: This photograph, titled "Portret van mevrouw Schmidt van Gelder-Coster en Jet Boelen," was taken sometime between 1874 and 1887. The sepia tones give it such a vintage, almost dreamlike feel. What symbolic elements stand out to you? Curator: The photograph itself, in its becoming, represents an intriguing form of memory. These images offered a carefully curated version of reality for the subjects involved. Note the mother’s brooch. It is not merely ornamentation but carries potential biographical weight, denoting a family affiliation, a gift, or perhaps membership in a particular social order. The shared frame implies both social ties and enduring emotions between mother and daughter. Editor: I see what you mean about the intentional presentation. It makes you wonder what aspects of themselves they wanted to highlight. The mother has jewelry that emphasizes class, yet the young girl looks much more pure. Curator: Precisely. The girl's presentation – her relative bareness – emphasizes innocence, which functions in stark contrast with the symbolic weight attributed to the mother. This contrast is something which becomes common for portraiture across eras. Editor: It’s like they're using clothing to communicate different ideas about womanhood in the 19th century. Thank you for elucidating that contrast for me! Curator: My pleasure. Reflect on the formal composition when looking at photography from this period. In that careful construction, there remains a powerful visual language of class and identity.