Twee nonnen op het strand before 1902

Here we have Albert Canfyn’s monochrome photograph, “Two Nuns on the Beach”, and what strikes me is the soft and blurry composition. The nuns are set in the centre of the picture, a dark mass against the pale background of beach and sky. You can almost feel the dampness of the air, see the grey of the sand as the water washes over it, smell the sea. The lack of detail suggests a fleeting moment, captured and remembered imperfectly, like a half-forgotten dream, or a glimpse of something profound. It reminds me a little of Corot, an artist who embraced atmosphere over detail. This piece has a contemplative, serene quality that invites reflection. There is no way to fix a meaning, so let's consider art as an ongoing conversation, a shared space for contemplation and open-ended inquiry.