Vos c. 1900 - 1910

This photograph of "Vos" was taken by Henricus Jacobus Tollens sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. What strikes me is the image’s tonal range, a kind of grimy, creamy, off-white. You know, that sense of light that hangs in the air on a damp day. The composition of the boat and its reflection create a wonderful feeling of symmetry, a calm and stable form. Yet there is also something about this photograph that conveys the feeling of a process. The muted palette and the fine details of the rigging, they seem to emerge slowly, inviting you to look closer. See the dark smudge towards the back? It's not perfect, yet it adds to its character. "Vos" reminds me a little of some of the early modernist photographers such as Atget, who captured Paris in all its everyday beauty. They share a similar sensibility, a quiet appreciation for the poetry of the ordinary. Like all great artworks, "Vos" is something that embraces ambiguity, and offers many interpretations.