Volendam 1935 - 1942

This photo album, ‘Volendam’ – we don’t know when exactly it was made, or by whom – is like a painter’s sketchbook, full of observations and studies. I'm struck by the anonymous artist's curiosity. I imagine them wandering around, looking at the world and thinking, "How can I capture this? What is essential?" Each photograph feels like a sketch, a quick study of light, form, and composition. I can almost feel the cool breeze and smell the salty air. The composition is interesting. The photos are arranged carefully with attention to shape and balance. The album becomes a kind of collage, a conversation between different views and moments. It reminds me that art is a process of selection and arrangement, of finding order in the chaos of experience. It’s like a visual poem, an invitation to slow down and notice the beauty in the everyday. This album shows how artists are constantly learning from one another, building on the ideas of the past while forging new paths forward.