Augusta and Anna Curiel

Augusta was a technically gifted photographer with a keen eye for composition and lighting. Anna’s role included developing the photographs and preparatory work such as setting up the heavy wooden plate camera on its tripod. They worked exclusively on commission for some 30 years, capturing scenes from Surinamese society. They were present at official events such as Queen’s Day, parliament sessions and the opening of a rail route, and they documented the mining of gold and bauxite. Augusta and Anna Curiel also took portraits, often in the client’s garden or the garden of their own home at 28 Domineestraat in Paramaribo.