Moerdijk brug Possibly 1941 - 1945

This small gelatin silver print of the Moerdijk bridge has been brought to us from an anonymous maker. What a thing, to see a photograph unmarked by its maker. It feels like a relic, a secret; a chance to imagine the life of the anonymous photographer. I see the subtle tonal gradations from the heavy rocks in the foreground to the expanse of water and then the sky. The bridge itself is carefully placed in the middle ground, running horizontally. I think of how the horizontal is often seen as 'feminine' or passive, versus the upright and 'masculine,' but here it is robust, strong. I imagine the photographer positioning themselves to capture the bridge's grandeur, framing the shot with the water and sky to convey a sense of place. The choice to use black and white adds a timeless quality. The artist sees it as a monument, a testament to human engineering against the backdrop of nature. And maybe they would love to know their work is being seen and appreciated all these years later.