Dora Brouwers in een laan op de plantage Johanna Catherina in Suriname 1916 - 1930

This tiny photograph, made by Theodoor Brouwers, captures a lane on the Johanna Catherina plantation in Suriname. The sepia tones give it that old-timey, faraway feel, like a memory fading at the edges. I wonder what it was like for Brouwers to frame this scene. Was he thinking about light, about composition, or was he just trying to capture a moment of everyday life on the plantation? The figures of Dora Brouwers and another person walking down the lane adds a human element to the landscape, making it feel less like a document and more like a snapshot of lived experience. It’s interesting how the choice of perspective can influence the overall mood of the artwork. What I love about painting, and also about photography, is that there are no right answers, no fixed interpretations. It’s all about feeling your way through it and seeing what emerges. Just like life, right?