De kliffen met "hope's nose"bij Torquay c. 1901

Frits Freerks Fontein Fz. made this photograph of the cliffs at Torquay, capturing the scene with a muted, almost dreamlike quality. It’s how the tones blend that gets me, the way the land and water meet in a soft, hazy line. The sepia tones create a sense of distance, like looking back at something remembered. The texture of the rock face is so detailed, you can almost feel the roughness, while the sea is smooth and still, reflecting the sky. Look at that single rock formation jutting out from the water – Hope's Nose – a beacon of resilience against the tide. There’s something about its solitary presence that makes you wonder about the passage of time and the stories these landscapes hold. This piece reminds me a little of Gustave Le Gray, with his own fascination with light and the sea. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing dialogue, each artist speaking to those who came before, adding their own voice to the chorus.