Stadsgezicht met een rivier before 1902

This monochrome image of a cityscape with a river emerges from the pages of a book. I imagine the photographer experimenting with early photographic processes, coaxing the image into being through trial and error. I feel the artist standing by the river, adjusting their camera, hoping to capture the essence of the buildings and the reflections in the water. They’re dealing with the constraints of early photography, where light and shadow play tricks, and clarity is hard-won. I can feel the struggle, the push and pull between intention and chance. It reminds me of the work of other artists, wrestling with their materials, trying to find a way to translate the world onto a surface. There’s something about the texture of the image, the way the light catches on the buildings, that speaks to the ongoing conversation between artists across time. The anonymous photographer’s attempt to capture the world embodies painting’s embracing of uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings.