Publiek op boten tijdens de Varsity van 1893 in Haarlem 1893

Hendrik Herman van den Berg created this photograph, "Publiek op boten tijdens de Varsity van 1893 in Haarlem", sometime in the late 19th century. Immediately, you are struck by the photograph's organization. The composition is divided horizontally, the lower half dominated by the smooth, reflective water, and the upper half by the detailed activity on the boats. This division creates a sense of depth and distance, drawing the eye from the foreground reflections to the bustling scene along the riverbank. The photograph employs a limited tonal range, which flattens the image and emphasizes shapes. The texture is particularly noticeable in the rendering of the water’s surface. The arrangement of boats and figures seems to suggest a society that values order, mirroring the structured nature of the photograph itself. This visual structure may also reflect an underlying philosophical framework of the era. The photograph remains a fascinating artifact, inviting ongoing interpretation.