Toren van de Hervormde Kerk te Noordwijk-Binnen 1890 - 1920

This photo of the Hervormde Kerk in Noordwijk-Binnen is by an anonymous photographer who worked for Monumentenzorg, a Dutch heritage organisation. I imagine the photographer, framing this image, thinking about the way the tower rises so steadily, a stoic silhouette against the sky. What was it like for them to find the right angle? To consider the building in relation to those surrounding it? The roof of the building on the left provides a human scale to the image. It gives the viewer a grounded perspective from which to measure the height of the church. The tower is rendered in soft sepia tones. The light almost washes out the details. It makes me think about other artists and how they approached similar subjects, like those early modernist buildings in Paul Strand's photographs. Ultimately, I think of how all these makers are in conversation, each adding their unique perspective to the ongoing exploration of form, light, and meaning.