Ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 tomorrow, it has been revealed the Duchess of Cambridge photographed two Holocaust survivors, Steven Frank and Yvonne Bernstein, with their grandchildren. The portraits will be part of a new exhibition due to open later this year, which will bring together 75 images of survivors with their loved ones to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust. Kate took the photos earlier this month at Kensington Palace in her role as patron of the Royal Photographic Society.
Steven Frank was photographed with his granddaughters Maggie and Trixie. Originally from Amsterdam, Steven survived several concentration camps as a child. It was heartbreaking to read Steven and his brothers were 3 of only 93 children out of 15,000 who survived Theresienstadt camp where life or death was determined capriciously.
Steven Frank was photographed with his granddaughters Maggie and Trixie. Originally from Amsterdam, Steven survived several concentration camps as a child. It was heartbreaking to read Steven and his brothers were 3 of only 93 children out of 15,000 who survived Theresienstadt camp where life or death was determined capriciously.
Speaking about the project Mr Frank said "I would hope that the people who look at these pictures not only look at the beauty of the photography, but they will also think of the people behind the photos and their families that they lost in the Holocaust". Below Steven (in the centre) with his parents and brothers as a young boy.
More from the Royal Photographic Society:
His granddaughter Trixie said: ‘It was amazing, The Duchess of Cambridge was really interested in our family and in Opa’s story, and the items we brought with us.’ Her sister Maggie said ‘I think it helped put into perspective that he’s just our Opa – he’s our grandpa as well as a Holocaust survivor. It’s important to tell the story so it doesn’t happen again.’
Yvonne Bernstein is originally from Germany. She was a hidden child throughout most of the Holocaust travelling in the care of relatives through France and frequently changing homes. Yvonne was photographed with her eleven-year-old granddaughter Chloe Wright.
Yvonne pictured as a little girl.
Speaking about the experience and the impact of meeting survivors, the Duchess said: "The harrowing atrocities of the Holocaust, which were caused by the most unthinkable evil, will forever lay heavy in our hearts. Yet it is so often through the most unimaginable adversity that the most remarkable people flourish. Despite unbelievable trauma at the start of their lives, Yvonne Bernstein and Steven Frank are two of the most life-affirming people that I have had the privilege to meet. They look back on their experiences with sadness but also with gratitude that they were some of the lucky few to make it through. Their stories will stay with me forever".
Kate continued "While I have been lucky enough to meet two of the now very few survivors, I recognise not everyone in the future will be able to hear these stories first hand. It is vital that their memories are preserved and passed on to future generations, so that what they went through will never be forgotten. I recall reading the Diary of Anne Frank as a young girl. Her sensitive and intimate interpretation of the horrors of the time was one of the underlying inspirations behind the images. I wanted to make the portraits deeply personal to Yvonne and Steven – a celebration of family and the life that they have built since they both arrived in Britain in the 1940s."
The Duchess was inspired by 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer because both Steven and Yvonne have strong links to the Netherlands. The Evening Standard reports: "The pictures were taken next to a window that brought in light from the east, the direction of Jerusalem." Kate viewed several of Vermeer's works including 'Girl With A Pearl Earring' at the Mauritshuis art museum during her first solo overseas visit to the the Netherlands in 2016.
Kate continued "While I have been lucky enough to meet two of the now very few survivors, I recognise not everyone in the future will be able to hear these stories first hand. It is vital that their memories are preserved and passed on to future generations, so that what they went through will never be forgotten. I recall reading the Diary of Anne Frank as a young girl. Her sensitive and intimate interpretation of the horrors of the time was one of the underlying inspirations behind the images. I wanted to make the portraits deeply personal to Yvonne and Steven – a celebration of family and the life that they have built since they both arrived in Britain in the 1940s."
The Duchess was inspired by 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer because both Steven and Yvonne have strong links to the Netherlands. The Evening Standard reports: "The pictures were taken next to a window that brought in light from the east, the direction of Jerusalem." Kate viewed several of Vermeer's works including 'Girl With A Pearl Earring' at the Mauritshuis art museum during her first solo overseas visit to the the Netherlands in 2016.
Readers will recall William and Kate visited Stutthof in Poland in 2017. Stutthof was generally regarded as having been amongst the worst in the Nazi concentration camps, causing the deaths of tens of thousands. They met two survivors Zigi Shipper and Manfred Goldberg who shared their harrowing stories. Kate said to them: "What you have been through and you still hold in your memories must be extremely difficult to speak about. Thank you very much for meeting us."
The Holocaust Memorial Trust shared more on the exhibition:
'We are pleased to have worked in partnership with Jewish News and the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) on this exciting project. The project aims to honour the victims of the Holocaust and to celebrate the full lives that survivors have built in the UK, and was originally conceived by Justin Cohen of the Jewish News.
Each of the portraits depicts the special connection between a survivor and younger generations of their family, who over the coming years will carry the legacy of their grandparents. However, the project also aims to inspire people across the UK to consider their own responsibility to remember and share the stories of those who endured persecution at the hands of the Nazis.
Olivia Marks-Woldman, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said of the project: ‘We are so pleased to be part of this project, as people from across the UK come together to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. The exhibition will be a fitting way to mark 75 years since the world was left scarred by the Holocaust. The survivors featured in these portraits all have very different stories, but each of their lives has been fundamentally changed by the trauma and loss they experienced. What connects these individuals is that, after systematic persecution, they all made the UK their home and the country has been enriched by them and their families.'
The RPS also shared a portrait of John Hajdu, who survived the Budapest Ghetto, with his grandson Zac. It was taken by South African photographer Jillian Edelstein.
Swiss-born portrait photographer Frederic Aranda photographed Joan Salter with her husband Martin and daughter Shelley. Joan who fled the Nazis as a young child said "When I give my talks I show family photos, because I think it’s so important for them to see us as human beings, especially if they have just seen images of people in camps. I think the fact that the exhibition will include so many different experiences is so important – it will give a much broader idea of what it was like during the Holocaust rather than just hearing from one survivor."
As noted above, the exhibition is the brainchild of Justin Cohen. He wrote a superb piece detailing Kate's involvement from the moment he contacted the Palace to the photography session itself. You can read it in its entirety on the Jewish News website:
'Of course Kensington Palace don’t routinely provide behind-the scenes detail on the machinations that go into such projects but to me, as the grandson of a refugee from the Nazis, it’s important people know this was far from a ‘point and click’ job. I hope that I won’t be sent to the Tower but this time I’ll take the risk.
Having approached the Palace six months ago with the seeds of an idea for a photography project involving the Duchess to mark 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, I was delighted (not to mention surprised given the weight of requests the Royals receive) to receive a call asking for more details. Further calls followed and it wasn’t long before Palace aides suggested bringing in the Royal Photographic Society, where she is a patron, to help make my vision of 75 images a reality, and involving the families of survivors to highlight their fortitude in building full lives after the horrors.
But I didn’t dare believe this project would happen until I learnt how much time and thought the Duchess was personally putting into it. The fine art graduate spent several days researching what she could bring to the table in order to best capture these individuals for the future. She was at pains to ensure the survivors were comfortable with the vision and that the spotlight was on the heroes to be pictured and not the Duchess herself.'
Kate did a beautiful job with the portraits; from echoing Vermeer's fondness for domestic interiors in honour of Steven and Yvonne's connections to the Netherlands to using light from the east, it was filled with personal touches. At the heart of this is family history shared through generations and seeing the courage, determination and journey Steven and Yvonne have endured through the eyes of their grandchildren. We saw Steven's granddaughters gazing lovingly at him and Yvonne's tender moment with Chloe. I found the photos and the entire project deeply moving. As children living in a constant state of fear and uncertainty during the Holocaust, Steven and Yvonne must have had many moments where they thought their chances of survival abysmal at best. I'm sure they never imagined they would be recounting their experiences with future generations of their families 75 years later.
Tomorrow, the Duke and Duchess will attend the UK Holocaust Memorial Day Commemorative Ceremony in Westminster.
I hope we will see more and more of Kate's artistic side as the years go on. She is a very talented photographer and I am also drawn to portraits. Very poignant and very beautiful indeed. What a lovely keepsake for these families who have endured the worst.
ReplyDeleteI whole heartedly agree!! She is truly using her "might for right". I think we will see more over the years, but I believe she will be very selective in the projects... such as this... so that she can be a vessel, instead of the focus!
DeleteBecca USA
Very touching project, carefully photographed to give love and life to the subjects. Thank you Charlotte for your presentation of Kate's work.
ReplyDeleteWow! So wonderful that Kate is involving herself in such poignant & meaningful projects. The monarchy is safe for the future in her's & Williams hands.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing project! These survivors have so much life experience to share with their families and all future generations. I can’t wait to see more details as additional details are released. I think that there is a lot more going on with Kate behind closed doors that we will see in 2020.
ReplyDeleteHeart breaking and I love this. So important. So happy Catherine seems to be so attuned to the nuances of lighting and the history of those she is photographing. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSuch incredible talent used in a beautiful way. Truly a picture of beauty from ashes. As you said Charlotte, I’m sure as they were living through the horror of the Holocaust they never thought they would live to see their grandchildren. Definitely a precious and poignant moment.
ReplyDeleteI am deeply touched by Kate's work. My family have both German and Swedish heritage, and my Grandparents often told the stories of how they helped their Jewish friends escape - across the borders into safety, inconspicuously one person at a time. This makes me feel so teary and happy at the same time. We must never forget these evil atrocities.
ReplyDeleteRW, I feel the same way.... & thank you for sharing all that your family did to help others during such a dark time!
DeleteBecca USA
I remember that she took some beautiful portrait photos in Pakistan from a local family. The photos have a semblable touch and style. I can't forget them but I can't find them in the internet anymore. I hope they will be used one-day in a exposition and not censured for some reason. The duchess has talent and an unique touch for her.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading that those pictures were only to be used by the papers after the tour as a way of acknowledging the reporters’ work.
DeleteI also noticed the similarities with the portraits from Pakistan. And it would make sense. If they were planning for about 6 months she must have been approached in the late summer. By the time they went to Pakistan, she has most likely started to do research, upskill and plan what she had in mind. When the opportunity presented itself to take some portaits in Pakistan it would make sense that she would draw from that.
DeleteKates photos are joyless. It’s disappointing. Nothing like the other pictures from the other photographers we see. Maybe they’re technically OK (too dark for me) but lacking joy. Yes it’s a heavy subject but it’s also a family portrait. With love and dynamics and grandparents! I guess I applaud the effort though?
ReplyDeleteI actually like that they are artistic shots! Both survivors are surrounded by their loving present-the grandchildren-and by the dark memories. I’m sure they have plenty of joyful photographs with their families. I also think that they were ok with this idea of pictures.
DeleteI don't see joyless pictures, I see warmth and serenity, and happy loving glances. I like how the family love is rendered.
DeleteCharlotte notes that Catherine's inspiration Vermeer and you can clearly see this in the composition and lighting that was used for those two photographs. I would consider 'joyless' to be if the grandchildren had their backs turned to their grandparents or if everyone was looking away from each other. That's not the case in either of those two portraits, in each of them the grandchildren are engaged with their grandparent. It's a somber topic and I think the photographs respect that and pay homage.
DeleteBorder Terrier lover :-)
I felt that the lighting on the grandchildren faces, them looking at the grandparents or looking in the same direction as their grandparents, and the lighter colored shirts they're wearing gave a light of hope/a peek of a brighter future, in the middle of a serious portrait.
Deletei see a moment of reflection. in the shot of the gentleman, the way the girl in the chair is looking at his- the love, warmth and admiration is obvious. sure, they are a little dark. but. it was a dark time. these folks found the light in the photos and in life.
DeleteAnnie
NY, USA
Anonymous 11:41, I really don't see how these photographs are joyless at all. As someone who enjoys photography and studied art history briefly (I am more of a straight history buff), they are positively brimming with warmth and deep symbolism which by my interpretation, reveals their personal story. To the poster below who wondered about the meaning of the objects, I can offer my subjective opinion. In the photograph of Steven Frank and his granddaughters, the number of people is significant because he was one of three children who survived the camp, his granddaughters are possibly sisters, highlighting Steven's own sibling connection. The child sitting holds a knitted teddy bear, emblematic of childhood, while Steven holds a metal pail, perhaps indicative of his own childhood and his fight for food and survival. The angle of the sitters to a central point also allows you to see the background, where there is a bowl of fruit and in near darkness, a bunch of flowers. Symbolically, this would indicate their absence in Steven's life as he is the main focus of the portrait and the absence of beauty in his childhood.
DeleteIn the photograph of Yvonne and her granddaughter, the use of the objects has a different effect. The fruit is in line with Yvonne and placing it in the foreground indicates its connection to her, that as a hidden child, she perhaps had slightly better access to food, whereas the vases are both empty, indicating the lack of beauty and the removal of nature from her childhood as she was kept indoors for her safety and survival. The use of a photograph within the image as an object, also emphasises her past as she is showing it to her granddaughter to reveal something, but it is hidden from the viewer.
Both photographs have the subjects emerging from darkness into light, which is also incredibly symbolic and the direction the light comes from is in the direction of Jerusalem, highlighting their faith, but also their suffering because of that faith.
Kate's technical skills are improving and she clearly has always had an excellent eye for composing images, most definitely assisted by her university degree.
Can you imagine the joy from these families when they say "Our photograph was taken by the [future] Queen"? It will surely be a treasured image for multiple reasons.
From the other examples Charlotte has shown, the one that I don't really like is the photograph of John Hajdu and his grandson by Jillian Edelstein. To me, it is rather stark and impersonal. The use of the white backdrop is too much, you can see the frame holding it and its bulk. It's all much too distracting from the actual subjects. But this is purely my own opinion.
This sounds like an incredible project with a poignant and important message. Stories are important and these memories must be shared for future generations because "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".
Well done to Kate and all involved!
Since these are portraits and not happy snaps, they have a specific style that speaks to some and not to others. The difference between art and Instagram.
DeleteAs an edit to the above, from the wonderful article by Hello: https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2020012783800/holocaust-survivor-reveals-what-he-loves-most-in-kate-middletons-portait/, I read that what Yvonne is showing her granddaughter is her Jewish Identity card, which slightly changes my interpretation (I first saw the image on my phone, so it wasn't as clear to me). The use of this object, reveals that Yvonne had to hide her identity in order to survive and can now proudly show it to her granddaughter and the world.
DeleteSteven shares some lovely anecdotes about the process. It was a great article to read!
Oh Sydney Gal, Your assessment & descriptions are so beautiful that I'm quite choked up. Thank you for sharing your knowledgable insights!
DeleteBecca USA
Thank you Sydney Gal for the link to the article, very interesting to know the symbolism regardng the objects. RachelZA, love your comment. cc
DeleteJust gorgeous. So touching and meaningful. She has a talent!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful project-where everyone involved felt honored to be a part. Kate treats others with such respect and kindness. Her strength is her humility. She contributes beautifully with her talents without taking the focus away from others. A true lady.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find intriguing is the way Catherine is so able to strongly but subtly direct the focus away from her & onto the subjects & the project.. that I almost feel guilty for fussing over her at all..... & I have a hunch that's her desire. She uses the gravitas she can bring to such a cause, for pragmatic reasons, but wants the focus to distinctly Not be on her... even when she herself is behind the lens..... the focus becomes on the beauty of the subjects & "The Portrait"..... not on "the photo she took". That's a true gift!
DeleteBecca USA
oh i love that duchess is involving herself to such meaningful project
ReplyDeleteWhat poignant photographs of a terrible past but a testament to survival and the creation of such meaningful lives in the years that have followed. It could not have been easy and certainly will make me think before complaining about a very easy lot by comparison. Thank you Charlotte for a beautiful write up.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great project. People are forgetting the past quickly and I applaud everyone who tries to remind us of it. I think we get a sense of what Kate's school work looked like, or her job tasks: extremely thought out, flawlessly executed, with a deeply personal touch.
ReplyDeleteJust a few posts ago there was a discussion about how much Kate works, how many days per month she spends in her office etc. This shows us two things. First, there is a lot of work behind the scenes. Not just private meetings or private visits but completely behind the scenes. Second, Kate's work probably can't by measured by the standards we all know from our lives. It is a different kind of work. It is impossible to say how many hours Kate has spent on the project or how many things she personally arranged etc. But it is clear that she did thorough research, took her time to meet the survivors and their families and added a lot of "credit" to this project, even connecting it to RPS. I still wish more of Kate's work was shown to public but I have to say that lately I have been quite delighted with each of her projects.
Ella
I completely agree, Elia, Justin Cohen emphasized how many hours and days of research, time, and thought Catherine devoted to this project, in addition to donating her time and talent to create the moving and artistic photographs. The time that Catherine spends AT an event is clearly the tip of the iceberg for how much time she devotes FOR an event.
DeleteSuch an important exhibition as memories are clearly short in this day and age; I wish the exhibition and project much success.
Border Terrier lover :-)
I completely agree. One thing for sure is that Kate doesn't do anything by half-measures, her approach is a study of what she is to understand first, then she moves towards her goal methodically, and thoughtfully, carefully aware of her purpose and those around her. Justin Cohen's last comment 'She was at pains to ensure the survivors were comfortable with the vision and that the spotlight was on the heroes to be pictured and not the Duchess herself.' is very telling of Kate's character. The photos are very poignant and a touching tribute to the families. Actually love everybody's comments on here because it seems that his has touched has touched everybody in different ways, and that is clearly what this remembrance is meant to do. Beautiful work Duchess!! cc
DeleteDiscussions of Kate's work usually focus on comparisons to other members of the family, not how many days or hours an ordinary worker spends on the job; those comparisons seem reasonable. Kate doesn't have as many official engagements as the other active family members, but she does have three young children. Most working royals spend private time and prep time for visits, but it's nice to see this extra effort.
DeleteI absolutely love these pictures. They are so moving, respectful and beautiful. It’s a fantastic project, I hope it is extremely successful. These stories need to be told and heard, it’s unbelievable to think this happened not long ago.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful portraits. Thank you Charlotte, for sharing the info.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful and touching homage for victims. Photographs tell stories about pain, dark but foremost about strenght of love and family. It 's visible how much effort and passion Duchess put into this project.
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed by the work Catherine and William are undertaking. A simple idea has turned into a major project where Catherine gets to showcase her photography skills. But to highlight this cause that no one should forget how the Jewish people suffered is a testament to our future king and queen. It was nice to see Prince Charles in Israel and how elegant is the way Catherine quietly goes about supporting this cause. I hope Catherine continues to take photos of her work. The photos she took looked amazing a real connection to people. Thanks Charlotte for the post.
ReplyDeleteSuch a gift! The true thing I marvel at, is while we see her talent, we appreciate it & then move on to focus on the subject. That is a true gift, to use one's gifts to draw focus to another! The portraits are a thing of beauty, but our focus is on the survivors, their family & the lives they made in the UK post WWII!
DeleteBecca USA
I think this might be my favorite project of Kate’s to date. Not only does she deeply personally engage with Holocaust survivors but she also brings much needed publicity and support to the cause of Holocaust remembrance. The pictures of her interacting with the survivors are lovely as well. Well done.
ReplyDeleteOf late, I've been so impressed with Kate's quiet steadiness and the passion and dedication she puts into her work. It is really meaningful work. The pictures are really poignant and these stories will always need to be told and memorialized. Kudos to everyone who worked on it, from the gentleman who conceived it to Kate's team and RPS who readily recognized the importance and significance.
ReplyDeleteSo well said! "Quite Steadiness" may not be a flashy, popular, exciting thing...... wow, but is it powerful, beautiful & needed in our world today!
DeleteBecca USA
I couldn't agree more.
DeleteSomehow, I can't put into words how I feel about these portraits. They are lovely, serene, true, telling. The stories I read in the Telegraph about those simple objects in the pictures (the tomato, the pan) brought me to tears.
Thank you Kate for your sensitivity, and thank you Charlotte for this touching post.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2020/01/27/duchess-cambridge-inspired-anne-frankfor-holocaust-portraits/
I love these photographs!! I'm a huge fan of the Dutch masters so I find the pictures exquisitely beautiful. Breathtaking pieces of art, truly. It's lovely that Kate ties in the survivors' Dutch heritage with the style of the portraits. The photos are intimate, homey, dignified and achingly poignant least we forget they are not only pictures of families but a remembrance of the human spirit triumphing over atrocity.
ReplyDeleteIf we ever had any doubts about there being "Kate Things" (her awareness of the power of subtle messages in things i.e. fashion, color or objects)... this is a perfect example of her using messages in a powerful & beautifully artistic way! Peace!
DeleteBecca USA
This is wonderful. Is there any information about the meanings of the objects in the pictures?
ReplyDeleteHi there I read elsewhere that the pan held by Mr Frank was used by his mother in the camps, and the paperwork held by Mrs. Bernstein was hers from her time in the concentration camp. Very personal items for sure.
DeleteI am so impressed by this project. I have been to see a concentration camp in Germany, and must say the atmosphere of reverence that exists now at these sites is palpable. We must learn better from our history.
What a wonderful project and I love how engaged Kate is in telling these stories of the Holocaust. It's important to remember, never forget and never repeat. A wonderful way to honor these survivors stories.
ReplyDeleteThese photographs are impressive. I feel there is a tenderness to them I really like. I think it suits the story they want to tell to leave some of the past and the endured pain in the dark and make the grandparents and their grandchildren as well as some well chosen objects the focus with a very soft light. I like it very much that the generations are interacting. It feels so intimate. A triumph of love and life. A great project!
ReplyDeleteThese portraits are beautiful and full of love and life. The two granddaughters with their grandfather is a particularly stunning. In the light, the girls' faces are absolutely glowing. As always, I am impressed with Catherine's talent and her excellent instinct for what works in aphotograph. Well done, Duchess of Cambridge.
ReplyDeleteI first read a news bite yesterday about this as I am always looking for stories about Kate. When I first looked at the photos I thought "But where is Kate?" And then I realized that she was behind the scenes, the photographer. And I thought of how symbolic that is of my knowledge of her, she is so often mentioned as having worked "behind the scenes."
ReplyDeleteReading the project coordinator's comments about how the Palace contacted him, about how much Kate researched, I was thrilled with what she did. I loved the photos and recognized the Vermeer touches. As she is patron of the Portrait Gallery, her efforts to make those photographs not just photographs but actual "portraits" was spot on. And including the pieces that meant so much to the family in the pictures--not front and center but like talismans--well, it would be like me looking at a photograph of my great grandmother and seeing a brooch she is wearing that I now have. It is all beautifully and gracefully done. As I have said before, as someone nearing 70, I feel Kate manages to be an "old soul" as well as a modern one--and makes it look like she enjoys every minute of it.
Valerie, thank you for your wonderful wording of how Kate was "behind the lens". I think that's something that draws me to her so much. In her work, somehow she subtly draws the focus away from her & focuses it upon the subjects & the work. That takes a lot of skill & awareness to be able to pull that off... when you look at her at an event or visiting people/children/charities..... somehow she makes us care about it all! I too (knowing nothing about her personally) feel this speaks volumes about who she is as a person. I think she will only continue to be such a gift to the UK, as she draws attention to things & issues we might not otherwise know about or care about!
DeletePeace!
Becca USA
Impressive! Well done Kate!
ReplyDeletebeautifully done project. and a beautiful post, as well.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents were survivors. this project is amazing- it so true that seeing pictures of people in the camps is only part of the story. growing up knowing what they survived, what they left behind, and then, the qualities they brought with them certainly shaped me as a person.
this project is beautiful and i hope that it helps others connect with the humanity of the survivors. then, perhaps, when we see evils happening, we can also see the humanity in the people it is happening to and help them.
Annie
NY, USA
Annie, how powerful to have grandparents who were survivors! Thank you for sharing your experience & insight into the importance of such a project! Peace!
DeleteBecca USA
How do these Holocaust survivors have such young grandchildren? They have to be in their late 80’s or 90’s at this point. Maybe they’re great-grandchildren?
ReplyDeleteIt might well be that both survivors and their children had kids at the age of 35-40 and then the age of the kids makes perfect sense.
DeleteThis continues to be an important topic and should never be forgotten. When I was in high school in Brooklyn, one of my friends' parents were both survivors. They had each lost their spouse and children and then married after moving to the US. Such an amazing story. They were so kind to me, and I mention that because my father has a German surname. They invited me over for holidays and explained everything about their religion (I was pretty much unaware growing up).
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely portraits. In my opinion, the setting is in line with Vermeer, of course, but also the simple elegance of the subjects -- all of their clothes have a velvet feel and are solid colors, which unifies the portraits and continue the textural quality. I'm glad Kate is continuing to work on what she enjoys.
Wonderful description of the photographs! Thank you Allison for also sharing the story about your friends & the impact they had on you. Peace!
DeleteBecca USA
Thank you for sharing, Allison.
DeleteThe homage to Vermeer is impressive...the black background, the side lighting, the placement of the objects, the subtle interactions among the people...are all very reminiscent of the Dutch master. Kate is more of a professional photographer than we ever thought she was! Kudos to Kate!
ReplyDeleteThey are truly works of art unto themselves.... so well said Sophie!
DeleteBecca USA
I hope that among the people photographed by the Duchess there will also be Polish prisoners of the GERMAN 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪 Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. My country 🇵🇱💞 has suffered a great deal of suffering during the war. And all the time we must defend the truth that this terrible concentration camp was a GERMAN and not a Polish 🇵🇱one. My Poland 🇵🇱💞 💞 my homeland 😍
ReplyDeleteThat's right!
DeleteThe portraits are beautifully lit. Her message is very well written and personal. The behind the scenes photos shared today show how engaged she was, and it looks like she put her subjects at ease.
ReplyDeleteHope from USA
Beautiful pictures, haunting in a way. A great use of Kate's skills as a photographer and her star power as a Royal. We must never forget.
ReplyDeleteKate is a wonderful photographer, with an artist’s eye. These photographs look like paintings, and are just breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much saturation of color in these photos it does make them seem like paintings, she definitely looks through the lens with an artist's eye. cc
DeleteBravo Cathrine wonderful pictures and deeply words. She did an amzing job
ReplyDeleteLove the depth we are seeing in Catherine. She takes her time to understand, connect and then do the right action for the situation. Truly hope she keeps this approach and doesn't get pulled into quantity over quality engagements. Quality has lasting impacts and works to her strengths.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I can tell Kate put much thought into each picture.
ReplyDeleteEngland is lucky to have somebody as sure, steady and strong as Kate. The world is lucky!
This is such important work. Half of Americans don't know how many died in the Holocaust, or even exactly when it occurred. Anti-Semitism is on the rise. It is so good to see the BRF participating in these events. We can never let this evil be forgotten. Kate clearly feels this deeply. Her photographs reflect it.
ReplyDeleteI have to add that the photo in black and white of Kate and her three subjects is my favorite! The lighting and balance are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHi, Becca USA here...... This is just extraordinary! The project is so powerful & Kate's work is absolutely breathtaking! This to me sums up Kate perfectly...... despite being behind the lens..... it was all about the people, their stories, their families & how best to capture that in a photographic piece! Bravo to the Project! Bravo to these Amazing Heroes, (& whilst she does not want the focus on her.... Bravo to Catherine for helping to pull this all together with The Photographic Society to make this Historic & Unique Exhibit happen!) Peace to all!
ReplyDeleteBecca USA
I forgot to add that I absolutely love the B&W pics of Kate interacting with the families..... especially cracking up at by the laptop! Joy in the midst of darkness, yet again!
ReplyDeleteBecca USA
This is such a meaningful project. The photos were very well done with a lot of attention to detail. This was an excellent post, Charlotte. We need to continue to understand history so that events like the Holocaust never happen again.
ReplyDeleteThe Duchess's photographs are exquisite. The subjects are lovingly and respectfully presented, and it is clear the work is about THEM, not the photographer. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteVery Long. Good Work. I like your article.
ReplyDeleteThe peek we get of Kate interacting with these families is so lovely - and her photographs are truly stunning. The way she has captured that Vermeer-like light is perfect, and the addition of meaningful objects adds power to her art. I can't think of a more perfect project to showcase her talent.
ReplyDeleteShe is a complete class act.
ReplyDelete