Gezicht op de Dam te Amsterdam tijdens werkzaamheden voor de verruiming van de Dam 1916

This sepia photograph was taken by Barend W. Arendsen, showing the Dam Square in Amsterdam during construction. The sepia tones, achieved through the chemical process of developing the photograph, give the image a muted, nostalgic quality. It invites us to reflect on the passage of time and the transformation of urban landscapes. There's a tangible sense of grit and labor in this image. The eye is immediately drawn to the skeletal frame of a building under construction, a web of exposed beams and scaffolding against the skyline. This section shows a rawness of process, an unveiling of the city's innards, usually concealed. The earth in the foreground is rough and uneven, bearing the traces of digging and construction. The photograph reminds me a bit of Eugène Atget, who also documented urban scenes with a similar sense of detachment and observation. Both artists seem to capture a moment in time, suggesting that art is more about questions than answers.