Ruïnes bij de Witte de Withstraat te Rotterdam c. 1940 - 1945

This is an image of 'Ruïnes bij de Witte de Withstraat te Rotterdam’ by J. Nolte. Just the name of the work brings it into being as it is. I’m imagining Nolte standing there, among the rubble, trying to make sense of this devastation. The buildings are gutted, reduced to skeletal remains, and yet, they stand, monuments to what was. What does it mean to be an artist and witness destruction? I imagine Nolte grappling with how to represent this scene, how to convey the weight of loss, the fragility of existence. Did they feel a sense of responsibility? A need to document? The photo must have been very textural. It must have been a challenge to render the devastation while capturing the interplay of light and shadow. It's a testament to the resilience of art, its ability to find beauty even in the face of destruction, to offer solace and perhaps even a glimmer of hope amid the ruins.