Gezicht op de toren van de Grote of Sint-Stephanuskerk te Hasselt 1902

This anonymous photograph captures the Gezicht op de toren van de Grote of Sint-Stephanuskerk te Hasselt. It's a bit of a sepia dream, isn’t it? The image is all about process: the slow reveal of detail from shadow, the way light softens edges. The muted tones are key here; they create a sense of distance, of looking back. You can almost feel the texture of the cobblestones, and how the tower looms, solid and ever-present, in the hazy distance. Notice the figures standing by the roadside, they are a focal point in an otherwise quiet image. How does that relate to the building dominating the scene? It makes me think of Atget, who documented the streets of Paris at the turn of the century. Both artists share this interest in capturing everyday life, the quiet grandeur of the ordinary. Photography invites us to pause, to look closely, and to find beauty in the unexpected. It's all about seeing, feeling, and letting the image unfold.