Automobiel op een strand 1910

Dirk van der Mark made this gelatin silver print called 'Automobiel op een strand' or 'Car on a beach'. Everything is coated in sepia, like looking into the past. I can imagine Van der Mark setting up his camera, waiting for the right moment, a bit of light, a glimmer of hope. There is a car, yes, but also a landscape, a building, a hint of water. All these things, carefully composed, trying to capture a moment in time. I bet he was thinking about how to frame the car, how to make it look both modern and timeless. The sepia tone makes me think of old family photos, digging through boxes in the attic. What did this scene mean to Van der Mark? Was he excited about the possibilities of the car, or was he more interested in the way it sat against the beach? He is in conversation with all the image-makers that came before him and all those who will follow, it's all one big conversation.