Those that saw us off Possibly 1908

Geldolph Adriaan Kessler made this photograph, "Those that saw us off," at an unknown date with gelatin silver print. It is an image dominated by a monochrome palette, where subtle gradations of tone articulate the scene. The texture and surface quality of the print contribute to its impact, capturing a sense of a specific moment in time. I find myself drawn to the details in the clothing and the faces of the group, but particularly the slightly out of focus detail of the ocean liner in the background, looming behind the collected figures in their finery. There's a depth created in the image that suggests an element of melancholy, that the people on the ship are leaving something or someone behind. The way Kessler handles light and shadow, it reminds me a little of the work of someone like Gustave Caillebotte in his depictions of Parisian life, albeit with a starker, more documentary feel. It feels like Kessler is less interested in formal concerns than in documenting the passing of time.