Brug in brandend Rotterdam Possibly 1940 - 1945

This small photo, *Bridge in Burning Rotterdam,* resides in the Rijksmuseum. The photograph's palette is muted, sepia-toned, a veil of nostalgia and distance. I imagine the photographer, camera in hand, amidst the chaos and destruction, searching for a composition that speaks to the moment's gravity. Maybe they felt powerless, documenting instead of intervening. The bridge's steel beams form strong diagonals, a visual framework contrasting the soft, smoky background. A lone figure stands on the bridge, a silent witness. What were they thinking? Where were they going? The figure is so small, but dominates everything. There's a lot of vulnerability in this picture, a quiet moment amid the tumult. It reminds me of other artists who’ve captured moments of devastation, like Goya's Disasters of War. This photo is an archive, a conversation, speaking to us across time.