Employé's woningen in aanbouw. (Mei 1926.) 1926

This is a photograph, taken in May 1926 by an anonymous photographer, showing employee housing under construction. The monochrome palette here gives the scene a timeless quality, even though we know it was taken almost a century ago. It makes you wonder about the story behind the image, who took it, and why. The texture of the photo is interesting, it is very smooth and even and the tones are consistent across the image. Look at the way the buildings fade into the background, the sharp lines soften, and the details become less distinct the further away they are. This gradient creates a sense of depth, drawing our eyes into the scene. It’s like a whisper, inviting us to imagine the lives that will unfold in these houses. There's something about this scene that reminds me of Ed Ruscha’s photographs of Los Angeles architecture, a similar sense of quiet observation and understated beauty in the everyday.