Gezicht op de Oudezijds Voorburgwal, gezien vanaf de Zeedijk 1904

James Higson made this photograph of the Oudezijds Voorburgwal from the Zeedijk in Amsterdam at an unknown date. It’s a study in sepia, like looking through time itself. Higson seems to be feeling out the boundaries of his medium here. The tones are muted, but the detail in the brickwork is so precise. The reflections in the water are beautiful, all these soft, vertical marks pulling the buildings downwards. I am drawn to the buildings on the right; the subtle shifts in tone bring out the individuality of each of the houses. They look like they're leaning in to listen to each other. It reminds me of Morandi's still life paintings, which are so concerned with the relationships between objects and what they can tell us about space. There’s a conversation happening here, a connection between forms. It’s art, talking to art, talking to life.