Binnenplaats van het Markiezenhof te Bergen op Zoom 1890 - 1920

This photograph of the courtyard of the Markiezenhof in Bergen op Zoom by an unknown photographer is an invitation to consider the nature of exposure, in every sense. The light is soft, almost dreamlike. It gives everything a kind of hazy glow. I love how the photographer works with the texture of the brick and stone, yet it all feels kind of…unresolved, you know? Like a memory half-formed. Look at the way the light pools in the courtyard, and how the details of the building seem to emerge from this luminous fog. It’s like the past is trying to reveal itself, but only partially. Maybe this artist knew that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is suggest, rather than state outright. Think about Atget, who also played with light and shadow to create these atmospheric studies of architecture and cityscapes. Both artists leave room for mystery and invite us to bring our own experiences to the work.