Gezichten op de Waag, de Bergkerk en de Munt te Deventer 1932 - 1939

Curator: Here we have "Gezichten op de Waag, de Bergkerk en de Munt te Deventer," or "Views of the Weigh House, the Bergkerk and the Mint in Deventer," by Herman Besselaar, dating from between 1932 and 1939. It appears to be a collection of photographic prints arranged within an album. What strikes you first about this assemblage? Editor: It's quite austere. The stark black and white photography gives it a strong sense of historical distance and formality. It feels almost like an architectural record rather than a celebration of the city. Curator: Precisely. Observe how Besselaar employs a realism that privileges the structural integrity of each building. The strong vertical lines of the Bergkerk spires, for instance, dominate those images. Even the slightly off-kilter perspective used in some frames enhances the geometry. Editor: The church spires certainly stand as potent symbols of spiritual aspiration, framed deliberately against the sky. And yet, there’s a contrasting mundanity – the shot of the narrow alleyway, for example. The sharp contrast between light and shadow might symbolize a darker, hidden side to Deventer life. Curator: I’d argue that the arrangement itself is significant. Besselaar’s composition steers away from mere documentary. Notice how the images, when seen as a collective, set up contrasts in scale, and variations in the distribution of light and shadow. Editor: That interplay definitely draws the eye, guiding us through carefully considered vignettes. There's also the recurring image of the tower - repeated from different angles, these might symbolize civic pride and the passage of time. Each photograph isolates these buildings, lending them a unique symbolic presence. Curator: Indeed. We see a carefully structured engagement with form and shadow, presenting a sequence with inherent architectural and graphic meaning, despite being photographs. Editor: Ultimately, these collected views become more than simple cityscapes. Besselaar has imbued these locations with layers of historical, cultural, and, dare I say, emotional resonance through the carefully selected vantage points. Curator: And the inherent qualities of black and white photography elevate and distill the geometries that these symbols represent to offer an emotional as well as architectural reading of Deventer’s spirit.