Waterlandschap c. 1900 - 1925

This 'Waterlandschap' was made by Alb. Kapteijn at some point before 1927, though we don't know exactly when. It's a small image with a limited tonal range. Kapteijn seems to be focused on the contrast between light and shadow. The way the light hits the water is really interesting, it almost looks like it has been dragged across the surface, and if you look closely you can see a sort of texture in the trees too. I think you can really get a sense of the materiality. It's a little like looking at a painting, but it's a photograph. There's a lot of detail, but it's also quite soft. It's like a memory, something that's fading away, or maybe a dream. It puts me in mind of Gustave Caillebotte, and his focus on atmosphere and capturing the subtleties of light. Like Caillebotte, Kapteijn asks us to slow down and pay attention to the quiet beauty of the everyday. It’s all in the seeing.