Paard en wagen en huiskamer 1941 - 1942

This photo album page, titled "Paard en wagen en huiskamer", or "Horse and carriage and living room", presents a fascinating contrast between the outdoors and indoors. It’s hard to know the exact date and maker, which only adds to the mystery! The layout gives the page a certain rhythm; the top row with photographs of horses and carriages on the street, and the bottom row with pictures of people sitting in their living rooms. It is easy to imagine how the artist might have been attempting to link the images formally, or metaphorically – perhaps considering the parallel modes of transport for the wealthy? The monochromatic color scheme reinforces this idea, and leads the eye across the page. Look at how the serrated edges of the photographs almost act as a soft, repeated texture. The contrast between the public and the private is palpable. It makes you think about the simple question of what we show, and what we keep hidden. It reminds me a little of the compositional strategies used by Gerhard Richter in his "Atlas" project. Ultimately, it’s the juxtaposition of these seemingly unrelated images that sparks endless possibilities.