Gezicht op de Schoolsteeg in Hoorn, gezien vanaf het Gerritsland richting de Grote Oost c. 1900 - 1910

This photograph of Gezicht op de Schoolsteeg in Hoorn, was taken by G. Hidderley from the Gerritsland looking towards the Grote Oost. It’s interesting to me how a simple, almost documentary approach can reveal so much. The tones here are muted, almost ghostly, which gives everything a kind of dreamy feel. The texture of the brickwork and the cobblestones is amazing. You can almost feel the rough surfaces, and that little pushcart smack dab in the middle of the street. It’s funny, the way the light catches on the edges of the buildings, it’s almost sculptural. It's not just a street, it's a place filled with stories, right? I mean, I can just see the shadows lengthening in the afternoon and think of all the people who have walked this street. The way Hidderley uses light and shadow feels a lot like the early street photography of Eugene Atget in Paris. The focus is never about perfect clarity, but about evoking a time and place. It’s like, he’s saying, life is messy, beautiful, and full of weird little moments if you just pay attention.