Twee foto's van familie Van den Berg in Monschau 1932 - 1939

These two photographs of the Van den Berg family in Monschau were made by Frank Willem van den Berg, though we don’t know exactly when. They're a window into a specific time and place, filtered through the artist's eye. One side shows a sharp, crisp street scene with a car and figures, while the other captures a relaxed moment of people on steps under a huge tree. The textures in the photos are incredible; the roughness of the cobblestones, the smooth finish of the car, the bark of the tree, all rendered in shades of gray, black and white. Look at the composition; each side is carefully balanced, creating a dialogue between the built environment and the natural world. The darkroom process, the choice of framing, it all speaks to an understanding of photography as a means of storytelling, not just documentation. It reminds me of August Sander's portraits, where the subjects' dignity and humanity shine through in simple, direct compositions. It invites us to slow down, to observe, and to imagine the lives contained within these captured moments.