Gezicht op de Nieuwe Kerk te Groningen 1890 - 1920

This is a sepia toned photograph of Gezicht op de Nieuwe Kerk te Groningen by an anonymous artist. Look at the way the church almost blends into the pale sky, like the photograph has been bleached of almost all color. The texture feels smooth, almost soft, it’s definitely not one of those photographs that’s trying to show off all the detail, it’s much more interested in the mood. The bare trees are like scratches on the surface, and they draw your eye up and around the architecture, kind of like the artist is inviting you to appreciate the space and how each part relates to the other. Think of those architectural drawings by someone like Piranesi, who was obsessed with the way buildings sit in the landscape, but this is more quiet and understated. It reminds me a bit of some of the early architectural photography, like Eugène Atget, a document of a particular place, but also, a poem.