Beladen schip 'De twee broeders' in het Singel aan de voet van de Munttoren in Amsterdam 1904

James Higson captured this photograph of a barge laden with goods in Amsterdam sometime between 1862 and 1933. The sepia tones create a dreamy, slightly faded affect, like looking back at a memory. The textures are so beautifully rendered. Just look at the way the light catches on the surface of the water, each ripple a tiny facet reflecting the light. And then there's the rough, tactile quality of the sacks piled high on the barge, contrasted with the smooth, solid architecture in the background. Notice the way Higson has framed the shot, with the buildings almost looming over the water. It gives a sense of the city's weight and history, but also the quiet, everyday life that continues within it. It reminds me of the photographs of Eugène Atget, who documented the streets of Paris at the turn of the century. Both artists capture a particular moment in time, a sense of place that feels both familiar and distant. Art is just an echo, bouncing off everything, I guess.