Gezicht op roei- en zeilboten op een water bij een stad of dorp c. 1920 - 1940

G. Hidderley gives us a sepia-toned glimpse of boats on the water near a town, using what looks like a photographic process. It’s all about light and shadow here. You can feel the stillness in the water, broken only by the reflections of the boats and buildings. I'm drawn to the way the light filters through the bare trees, creating these soft, blurry edges. The reflections in the water are incredible. See how they mimic and distort the shapes above? It's like the world is both solid and liquid at the same time. This piece reminds me of some of the early Impressionists, like Monet, who were obsessed with capturing fleeting moments of light and atmosphere. But while Monet used color to create that effect, Hidderley relies on the subtle gradations of tone, and invites us to consider how even within these self imposed limitations, something magical can happen.