Noordzijde van de Dam met de Nieuwe Kerk en de ingang van de Nieuwendijk 1850 - 1875

Curator: Rooswinkel & Co's "Noordzijde van de Dam met de Nieuwe Kerk en de ingang van de Nieuwendijk," made sometime between 1850 and 1875, captures a tranquil, almost dreamlike view of Amsterdam's Dam Square. Editor: Dreamlike, yes! It's got that sepia tone, that old-timey ghost town vibe. You half expect a horse-drawn carriage to materialize from thin air. Curator: Precisely! The albumen print lends a distinctive warmth, underscoring the photograph’s function less as documentation and more as a meditation on space and time. Note how the architectural volumes—the imposing Nieuwe Kerk against the smaller buildings—structure the composition. Editor: I see it, like a rigid, geometric dance. The church looms, doesn't it? Makes the rest of the city seem like it’s trying to peek out from behind its skirts. A little unbalanced, perhaps, but I like that. And the emptiness—it’s unnerving. Where are all the people? Curator: The near absence of figures, as I see it, invites the viewer to contemplate the city's essential character independent of quotidian activities. The lines created by the fence in the foreground establish both depth and a sense of ordered space—acting as visual guides to usher our gaze toward the backdrop of buildings. Editor: Guides or barriers? That fence does give off a ‘keep out’ sign. Like the photographer’s saying, "Admire the buildings, but don't get too close, darling." The shadows help, don't they? Curator: Indeed, the subtle tonal variations serve to sculpt the facades of the buildings and the details of the square. The contrast isn’t dramatic; rather, it reinforces a sense of calm—a kind of architectural quietude. The play of light becomes, effectively, another building material. Editor: Well, the photographer nailed the ghostly city. Makes you wonder about all the untold stories those buildings have seen. Next time I'm in Amsterdam, I will be thinking about what might emerge from the shadows of buildings like these. Curator: A sentiment echoed by me—Rooswinkel & Co provide a lasting visual testament to the architectural form, as it stands frozen in the amber of time.