Mannen op een landweg bij (vermoedelijk) Beek (Gelderland), op de achtergrond huizen tussen de bomen c. 1905 - 1907

Folkert Idzes de Jong made this small photograph of a rural road near Beek, Gelderland. I love how the eye travels into the scene, and how the texture of the road and the hillside are emphasized. The details here are everything, look at the way the light catches the gravel, or the blurry shapes of the two figures walking. It's almost like the photo is rendered in shades of gray-brown, like a toned drawing. The trees in the background are almost dense and impenetrable. De Jong leaves a lot unsaid, but somehow captures the feeling of a walk in the countryside. Maybe this photograph reminded him of the Dutch masters, who were also drawn to the subtle beauty of the land. The photograph feels honest, like De Jong just wanted to record a simple scene he came across. And that's kind of beautiful, don't you think?