Rivier in Suriname 1925 - 1927

This photograph, "Rivier in Suriname," brings a slice of the Surinamese river to a small print. I’m picturing the anonymous artist there, maybe swatting away bugs, trying to capture the scene before the light changes, before the boat moves on. You feel the damp heat of the jungle just by looking at this, don’t you? The way the dark foliage crowds in, it’s almost claustrophobic. And then, there’s the river itself, catching the light, pulling you into the center. That little boat in the middle is such a focal point. Maybe the artist saw something of themselves in it – a little vessel navigating the currents. The composition is pretty striking. Think of someone like de Kooning, turning landscape into something psychological and personal. I wonder if they saw their photograph as a painting?