Gezicht op het Koninklijk Weeshuis te Buren 1895 - 1917

Pieter Faberij de Jonge made this photograph of the Weeshuis te Buren, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. It's interesting how even in a photograph, the artist can use light and shadow to make the building look like a drawing. Look at the way the sunlight is caught by the windows on the second floor. It's almost like the building is blinking at us, you know? The stark contrast between the dark roof and those bright window panes create a kind of rhythm, like a visual heartbeat. The details are incredible, from the tiny window panes to the shadows cast by the surrounding trees. It’s as if you could reach out and touch the stone. This makes me think of Atget, another photographer who documented the architecture of a bygone era. Both share a fascination with the urban landscape and its capacity to tell stories about time and place. Anyway, this is definitely a piece to spend some time with.