Koningin Wilhelmina leest een Nederlands verzetsblad in haar werkkamer in Londen 1945

Curator: Hello there! Shall we discuss this photography work by Anefo, “Queen Wilhelmina reading a Dutch Resistance newspaper in her office in London,” a gelatin silver print created in 1945, now at the Rijksmuseum? What grabs you first? Editor: Absolutely. It's a compelling image, striking and stately. The queen seems very focused on the newspaper, almost like she is alone, lost in it, yet very aware of it being shown. What can we make of that? Curator: Oh, isn’t it fascinating? She is very queenly, almost perfectly posed. She is sitting, stately at the desk. Surrounded by royal portraits in this carefully staged moment. One could say, she is reading her people's truth. But this isn't some dry report. It is active defiance. We are experiencing history here; the bravery that's often unseen. What feeling do you get from her posture? Editor: Determination, definitely. She looks firm, and steadfast, and almost, though it could be because I know what she’s reading, ready for anything, unshakeable. What does it mean for the image itself? Curator: Well, it shows her resolve and gives it to the resistance workers in the Netherlands and her Dutch allies. It’s almost as if the photograph transforms from being about an individual and their act to becoming a beacon. She may as well be facing down the enemy at the desk in this single frozen shot. Her presence transforms her workplace into a bastion of courage. The act is deeply patriotic, showing faith in the people that are in deep oppression. This piece is less a record of history and more an enactment of leadership, don't you agree? Editor: Absolutely, so rather than recording history, she is making it? I think it's interesting to look at both sides of the same coin that show how one woman sitting at a desk in an office can mean to an entire nation. Curator: Precisely. Photography captures more than images, it catches ideas! This work has proven how we might capture time itself, even transform its very essence. It offers all of that and yet makes you still feel like you are sitting across from the table. Editor: Right. Well, thank you for your insight, and for helping to decode its enduring effect. It gives one the space to meditate! Curator: You are very welcome. These images act as more than just history records. They can speak! They still do. They live!