Foto uit archief Philip Zilcken 1911 - 1941

This landscape, from the archive of Philip Zilcken, shows a harbor town softened with age. The artist, whoever they were, worked with light and shadow, carefully composing the scene. I wonder what the photographer was thinking, maybe they were capturing a memory, or a feeling. The greys blend, making it dreamlike and far away, like a half-remembered place. Look at how the light catches on the water, that single point of interest that you can look at in the foreground. It’s a simple scene, sure, but it’s also kind of timeless. It reminds me of Corot, who could do so much with so little. And that’s what art is all about, isn’t it? Taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary. This anonymous photographer did just that. They invite us to linger, to dream, and to find beauty in the everyday.