Gezicht op een brug bij een vaart 1907 - 1930

Adolphe Burdet’s glass negative, "Gezicht op een brug bij een vaart" captures a landscape with a bridge near a canal. The process of making this piece feels palpable, the dark tones, and shadowy forms feel like a memory emerging into consciousness. The photograph’s surface is marked by imperfections, which add to its moody atmosphere. These almost obscure the scene, turning the act of looking into one of excavation. I love how you can see the bridge and the canal, but the cloudy shapes almost have more presence than the landscape. It’s like the photo is showing you more than the view. That said, there's something about the way the light catches on the water that hints at something more idyllic. Think of the Hudson River School painters, like Cole and Church, who looked to nature as a mirror for spiritual contemplation. Burdet’s atmospheric image offers a similar invitation to reflect on the passage of time. A reminder that art is always in conversation with what came before.