Watermolenstraat 1900 - 1910

C. Kersten & Co. made this photo of Watermolenstraat in Paramaribo, though we don’t know exactly when. It has the sepia tones of old postcards, or a memory fading at the edges. The image quality isn't perfect, it's a bit mottled like an old print, but that adds to its charm. There's a kind of layered effect where the light and shadows play across the buildings; it feels like a soft, warm day. Look at the pair of figures in the center. The artist captures a specific moment but it feels universal, like any two people stopping for a chat on a sunny street. It reminds me of those early street photography experiments, where the focus is less on perfection and more about capturing a fleeting moment in time. You could compare this to the work of Eugène Atget, who photographed Parisian streets at the turn of the century. Both artists share a fascination with the everyday, finding beauty in the ordinary. There are no fixed meanings here, just a sense of life unfolding.