Autowerkplaats van de Amsterdamsche Rijtuig Maatschappij (ARM) 1913 - 1948

Here's a piece by Herman Heijenbrock, no date, but the title tells us it's the 'Car Repair Shop of the Amsterdam Carriage Company'. The scene is set in a large garage, and the artist uses a muted palette of greys, blues and browns to create a hazy industrial atmosphere. I can almost smell the oil and metal. You know, painting this must have been interesting, trying to capture the everyday lives of working people with precision and empathy. I'm thinking about that man in blue overalls, carrying a bucket and how Heijenbrock captures his movement with such detail. There's a real dialogue happening here, between the artist, the subject, and us, the viewers. The open roof lets in light that illuminates the space, reflecting on the bonnets of the cars. Painters are always talking to one another. It is an endless back and forth where inspiration, and ideas are constantly reimagined.