Kustgezicht in Nederland 1904 - 1910

James Craig Annan made this image, Kustgezicht in Nederland, with photogravure, a process where you etch an image into a plate and then print it. I think of it as a form of drawing with light and acid. Look at how the figures on the beach kind of huddle together, like they're trying to keep warm, or maybe just sticking together against the vastness of the sea and sky. There's a real sense of atmosphere here; you can almost smell the salt in the air. Annan really captures the moodiness of the Dutch coast. It reminds me of the paintings of the Hague School, those Dutch artists who were all about capturing the everyday lives of people and the beauty of the landscape. Artists are always inspired by their predecessors, and then they riff on them, and bring something new to the table. Annan does this with photography, but it’s all part of the same conversation.