Gezicht op twee onbekende mannen aan The meeting of the waters before 1867

This album page features a photograph titled 'The Meeting of the Waters,' by John Hudson. The choice of title is significant, as the meeting of waters often symbolizes confluence, transition, and the merging of different entities. During Hudson's time, landscape photography was more than just an aesthetic pursuit. It was deeply entwined with ideas of national identity, and the romantic idealization of nature. The depiction of landscapes can sometimes exclude or render invisible the complex histories of human interaction and labor. The stillness of the water and the bare tree may serve as a poignant reminder of the constant state of change, and transition. In this work, the inverted presentation of the image may prompt a reconsideration of how we look at nature, and how we position ourselves within it. It invites reflection on themes of perspective, and how the merging of different elements can lead to new understandings.