Waterweg met brug in Edam before 1915

Barend Groote captured ‘Waterweg met brug in Edam’ with photography, sometime between 1862 and 1946, a process rooted in light and time. There’s something serene about this scene, a quiet Dutch waterway framed by trees. The bridge, a dark arch, pulls you into the depths of the water’s reflection. Look closely at the surface – you can almost feel the stillness, broken only by gentle ripples. The monochromatic palette gives it a timeless quality, like a memory fading into sepia tones. The textures are subtle but palpable, from the rough bark of the trees to the smooth stone of the bridge. It reminds me a little of some of those early modernist photographers, like Atget, who found beauty in the everyday urban landscape. Like them, Groote seems to be saying that art isn’t just about grand gestures but also about finding poetry in the ordinary.