Drie foto's van de jezuïetenbron in de tuin van Villa Tritone, Sorrento 1950

Here we see three gelatin silver prints of the Jesuit well in the garden of Villa Tritone, Sorrento, made by Norbert van den Berg around 1950. The photographic process here is pretty straight-forward; capturing the light and shadow, the way the leaves and branches create patterns. You can see that the artist is interested in how the interplay of light transforms the mundane into something mysterious. The prints are small and intimate, encouraging a closer look. The tones shift from deep blacks to soft grays, creating a rich tapestry of textures. In the print on the left, notice how the light filters through the trees, casting intricate shadows on the well. It’s almost like the artist is painting with light, layering different densities to create depth. The slightly blurred focus adds to the dreamlike quality. Van den Berg's work reminds me a little bit of Atget, who captured the streets of Paris with a similar eye for detail and atmosphere. But where Atget documented urban life, Van den Berg seems more interested in the quiet beauty of nature. Both artists, however, show us that art isn’t about providing answers, but about inviting questions.