G.M. Bolderdijk in een berglandschap 1928

This small black and white photograph of G.M. Bolderdijk in a mountain landscape was made by an anonymous artist. The tones in this image feel very subdued; a limited palette that evokes a sense of quiet contemplation. The surface feels almost velvety, with soft gradations between the shades of grey. It’s incredible how the artist captured the texture of the rocks. See that large stone in the foreground, and the deep crevices of the cliff-face to the right of the frame? The way light falls to create gradients really makes it feel like you could reach out and touch it. This piece reminds me of some of Gerhard Richter’s smaller grey paintings from the 70s. In both cases, you get this feeling of intimacy and a real engagement with the material. This photograph, like Richter’s paintings, embraces ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations rather than fixed meanings.