Eva Boelen in the Garden of Keizersgracht 756 - Charlotte Alida Boelen-Matthes

A collection of three vintage gelatin silver prints documenting an infant in an Amsterdam garden in 1912.

This archival document presents a series of three gelatin silver prints mounted on a grey album page. The photographs capture Eva Boelen during July 1912 within the private garden of the family residence at Keizersgracht 756, Amsterdam. The handwritten inscription, 'Eva Charlotte juli 1912', provides a precise temporal anchor for these domestic scenes.

The composition reflects the vernacular tradition of early twentieth-century family photography. The images show the infant in various positions within the garden, including a seated portrait on a metal chair beside a sundial. The surrounding foliage and the architectural details of the townhouse suggest a quiet, affluent urban environment typical of the canal district in Amsterdam during the Edwardian era. The use of corner mounts and the specific layout on the album page are characteristic of the period, where the physical arrangement of photographs served as a narrative device for personal history.

Technically, the prints exhibit the soft focus and tonal range common to amateur photography of the early 1900s. The contrast between the light-coloured clothing of the child and the darker, verdant backdrop of the garden creates a clear visual focus. These images offer a glimpse into the private life of a Dutch family, documenting the domestic sphere through a lens of intimacy and observation. The preservation of the original album page context maintains the historical integrity of the work, allowing viewers to appreciate the presentation methods of the time. This piece is a record of a specific moment, preserved through the medium of early twentieth-century film, providing insight into the social history of Amsterdam's canal-side residences.