Gezicht op de Gravenstraat en de St. Petrus en Pauluskerk in Paramaribo vanaf een toren before 1927

Eugen Klein made this print of the Gravenstraat and the St. Petrus and Pauluskerk in Paramaribo, probably from a photograph at the beginning of the 20th century. Just looking at this image makes me want to dive into a time machine. What was it like for Klein to stand there, on top of that tower? What did he feel when he turned this scene into a print? I imagine him, carefully adjusting the tones, deciding what to emphasize and what to let fade into the background. The monochromatic palette gives the scene a timeless quality, making me think about how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. Klein’s eye captures the essence of a place, just like we painters try to get the essence of an emotion or idea. We are all translators, working with different materials, in an ongoing conversation across time.