Noordelijk aanzicht van Kasteel de Haar 1901 - 1903

This old photograph of Kasteel de Haar, made with some kind of early photographic process, has a funny way of feeling very immediate. It’s got this overall sepia tone, like a faded memory, but at the same time, the details are so sharp. I’m drawn to the way the light catches on the water under the bridge, creating these shimmering reflections that almost feel abstract. You know, like a quick, gestural painting. It’s like the photographer was really trying to capture not just the castle itself, but also the way the light and water played around it. It gives the whole image a kind of magical quality. It reminds me a little of some of Atget’s photographs of Paris, that same sense of capturing a specific moment in time, but also hinting at something timeless. This is such a good example of how a simple image can be so evocative, leaving you to make up the story for yourself.