Gezicht op Herengracht 73 te Hasselt 1904

This photograph of Gezicht op Herengracht 73 te Hasselt, was made by an anonymous artist with a camera, sometime around the early 20th century, it seems. The sepia tone gives everything a kind of gauzy effect. It's a small, intimate scene, a canal side shot of two buildings, some trees, and people in white dresses that makes me think of childhood. The dark water, that horizontal band, anchors the image, while the buildings rise up, boxy and solid. Look at the way the light catches the roof of the main building, highlighting its decorative peak. The surface, the paper itself, has a matte, slightly aged feel which softens the details. The people, they're almost like ghosts, a blur of white against the muted background. It gives the image a sense of timelessness and a world where memory and reality blend. I’m reminded of Atget’s photographs of Paris, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary through the simple act of looking. It's a reminder that art isn't just about grand gestures; it's about seeing the beauty in the everyday.