Groepsportret van koning George V, koningin Mary en prins Edward 1910

This vintage photograph depicts King George V, Queen Mary, and Prince Edward. The greyscale lends an air of faded grandeur. I wonder about the photographer trying to capture not just likenesses, but something deeper, something about royalty. This image, with its stark contrasts, seems very formal, don't you think? The Queen is sitting very straight, and the men are standing tall - the artist may be wanting to capture a feeling of dignity or maybe even a bit of distance. I guess I wonder about what they are feeling, these figures trapped in this moment. There is an exchange, an ongoing conversation happening here. Looking back on this image now, we consider how they wanted to be seen. Like artists, these historical figures were participating in making themselves, and their legacies, into something new.