Gezicht op de kerk van Windesheim 1901

This photographic print of Gezicht op de kerk van Windesheim was made by an anonymous photographer. It is really beautiful. The sepia colour palette is so muted, almost as if the image is fading, as if to say nothing lasts forever. See how the details are soft, almost hazy? This makes the picture feel more like a memory than a record. I love the texture of the building and foliage, rough against smooth, light against dark. Notice the fence and the way the trees in front of the church obscure it, it makes the church seem almost hidden. Think about what the photographer wanted us to see, or maybe they wanted to hide? This photograph reminds me of the work of Eugène Atget, who also documented buildings, but who was also trying to capture a disappearing world. Like Atget, this photograph embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations over fixed meanings.