Amsterdam, Reguliersbreestraat Possibly 1900 - 1921

This photomechanical print of Reguliersbreestraat in Amsterdam appears to be a page from a book, or a postcard. It is a historical document, of course, but it's also so much more. I imagine the anonymous artist-printer thinking carefully about what to capture of this busy street scene. It has all the qualities of a cyanotype; the monochromatic color scheme, the way the image almost disappears into the paper. The artist must have walked down this street many times, observing how the light fell on the buildings, how the people moved, before deciding to capture it. And the tram lines lead your eye right to the focal point of the scene. The architecture is very present as well, and it is tempting to compare it to Canaletto's paintings of Venice; his use of light, and compositional arrangement. Artists, across time, are constantly borrowing and riffing off each other's ideas. The exchange of ideas is what keeps art alive. It's a conversation that we're all invited to join, as well!