Dorp aan het water 1900 - 1922

Editor: So, here we have "Dorp aan het water," or "Village on the Water," a gelatin-silver print created sometime between 1900 and 1922 by Robert Julius Boers. The image, duplicated as a stereoview, depicts boats by the shore and life along the water, all with a hazy, almost dreamlike quality. I find myself strangely drawn to its quiet stillness. What captures your eye most about this work? Curator: Funny, isn't it, how a quiet stillness can sometimes speak volumes? The way the artist chose to duplicate the image is particularly interesting to me. By doubling the photograph, Boers has invited us to sink further into the scene, to almost *feel* the humid air and hear the gentle lapping of water against those little boats. Notice, too, how he's played with the light. What do you make of that silvery haze? Editor: Well, the haze definitely contributes to the tranquil, almost timeless feel of the scene. It’s like the whole village is caught in a hazy memory. Is there a reason he chose to use the gelatin-silver print medium? Curator: Absolutely! The gelatin-silver print process allowed for incredibly detailed images with a wide range of tones, creating a beautiful luminescence. It almost transforms a documentary photograph into a painterly dream. The stereoview format also gave audiences a more immersive, three-dimensional impression. Don’t you think this technique intensifies the photograph's sense of place? Editor: I do. It's almost as if we’re invited to step right into the scene, a truly immersive experience! This has broadened my appreciation of photography beyond simple documentation. Curator: Exactly! By seeing how much a particular choice in technique can have such a big impact, even altering our emotional connection with the place, we can appreciate all the hard work from the artist in the past.