Gezicht op een rivier met een roeiboot en huizen op de kade in Japan c. 1895 - 1905

This is a photograph titled "View of a River with a Rowboat and Houses on the Quay in Japan" by Kōzaburō Tamamura. Upon first glance, the composition directs our eyes to the interplay between the constructed and the natural. The buildings in the background are somewhat blurred and have soft outlines that blend with the vegetation. In contrast, the foreground showcases a boat, depicted with clear lines and enhanced by a reflective surface of water. Notice how the placement of the boat is slightly off-center, creating a visual imbalance. The contrast between clarity and blur destabilizes a fixed or singular perspective. By intentionally unbalancing the scene, Tamamura challenges our notions of spatial harmony and invites us to explore the tensions between form and perception, representation and reality.