Takken van een zuurbes c. 1900 - 1930

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have a photographic still life by Richard Tepe, “Takken van een zuurbes,” or “Branches of a Barberry," dating from about 1900 to 1930. Editor: My first impression is the delicacy, the muted tones. It almost looks like a faded memory, those branches laden with berries but so still. Curator: Well, considering the period and Tepe's work as a bookkeeper for a major company in Alkmaar, these meticulously crafted images reflect a changing Dutch society, don't you think? Here’s an artist engaged with new consumer photographic technology outside of the traditional atelier setting. The means of production here are very important. Editor: Absolutely, but for me, the composition directs me toward other matters. The barberry itself—that bittersweet flavor, the sharp thorns offering protection. It becomes a symbol of life's contrasts, pleasure and pain intertwined. Aren't they almost talismanic? Curator: But isn't it also interesting to consider Tepe’s specific choice? I wonder what drove his decision-making when choosing these seemingly mundane subject matters. Surely this has significance with Dutch photography’s shift towards the new century. Editor: The barberry features heavily in folklore. Its fruit signifies perseverance in some cultures; its thorny branches, resilience. I cannot help but think Tepe would have been aware of these meanings, given its ubiquity in the countryside where the work was created. Curator: That's fascinating. Considering its status within photography, the material reality, we must consider how it elevates what would have once been dismissed as amateur image making. It is quite evocative to consider. Editor: A blend of nature’s symbols, so rich with possible meanings... And a new medium able to capture and convey such enduring themes. I find myself wanting to know more about his connection to that symbol. Curator: An amateur photographer reflecting shifts in societal structures… a wonderful convergence indeed. Editor: Absolutely; this has enriched my understanding of the quiet power within simple subjects.