Onder de Markt (Heiligenweg) Verkoopsters van Cassavebrood en Pindakaas 1900 - 1905

Eugen Klein took this photograph of market sellers, probably in Paramaribo, sometime around the turn of the century. It’s an image where everything seems to be made of the same substance, an overall hazy tone, a kind of subdued, brown-grey. You can see that he’s working in a tonal way, rather than playing with a full spectrum of colours. Look at the texture, which is very soft with a smooth surface, and the details are quite clear. Although the figures are still, there is an overall sense of movement and purpose in the photograph, as if it has been captured in motion rather than staged. It reminds me of some of the street scenes by Edgar Degas, who was a painter-photographer. The light is very well managed. In particular, I like the way it emphasizes the contrast between the light and shadow of the women’s dresses, which adds depth to the image. The composition and the tonal range make you feel you’re there, in that market, amongst the sellers.