Kapel van de kasteelruïne te Valkenburg 1890 - 1920

This early photograph captures the chapel of the Valkenburg castle ruin in tones of brown and sepia. I can imagine the photographer, whoever they were, carefully setting up their equipment, maybe feeling a little bit like an archeologist of the present. The composition, with its crumbling archways and overgrown foliage, creates a sense of melancholy and decay. What does it mean to capture a ruin? It's like trying to hold onto something that’s already slipping away, a moment of loss. I wonder if they were thinking about the ephemeral nature of time, the way even the sturdiest structures eventually succumb to the elements, and what will last. There's something incredibly romantic about ruins, they seem to resonate with our own fleeting existence. Ultimately, this image speaks to me of art's enduring power to preserve and reflect on the past. It reminds us that every creation, whether grand or humble, leaves a trace.