Sommeldijksche straat 1903 - 1910

Hendrik Doijer’s photograph, Sommeldijksche straat, gives us a slice of life, even if it is in monochrome. Look at the way the light dapples the street, it's almost like he’s painting with light. You know, in painting, it's all about the layering, the process of building up the image, and I think Doijer does something similar here. The textures are incredible, aren't they? The rough bark of the palm trees against the smooth, almost hazy sky, it's a real contrast, just like the world we live in. I'm drawn to the two figures in the middle-distance, almost lost in the grandeur of the street, and the way the shadows fall around them. It reminds me a little of Atget, that other great chronicler of cityscapes. And I guess that's what art is, right? A conversation across time, a way of seeing the world, and sharing it with others, even if it's a little ambiguous, a little mysterious.