Gezicht op haven van Hamburg before 1901

Otto Scharf's "Gezicht op haven van Hamburg" is an image of Hamburg harbor that feels like a fleeting memory. Looking at this, I wonder about the artist and the moment they captured. What was it like standing there, watching the ships bob in the water? It feels as though the artist is almost sketching, quickly marking down what he sees. The soft grey tones suggest a sombre mood. The linear structure of the boats contrast with the sky which dissolves into soft cloud. I am really struck by the fact the artist chose to photograph this subject. It reminds me of some of Gerhard Richter's paintings. There’s this lovely, tender but slightly melancholic sensibility in this image. The beauty of an image like this is that it speaks to all those moments of in-betweenness—the fleeting glimpses of the world that stay with us long after they’re gone.