'Oude Twee' van de Amsterdamse roeivereniging Nereus tijdens de Varsity van 1893 in Haarlem 1893

This photograph, taken by Hendrik Herman van den Berg, captures the 'Oude Twee' of the Amsterdam rowing club Nereus during the Varsity of 1893 in Haarlem. The sepia tones imbue the image with a sense of nostalgia, drawing us into a past era. The composition is structured around the horizontal expanse of water, contrasted by the vertical form of a distant windmill. The blurred figures lining the shore act as a visual bridge, connecting the built environment with the fluidity of the water, creating a semiotic interplay between stability and motion. Van den Berg employs a shallow depth of field, flattening the pictorial space. This technique reduces the scene to essential forms, highlighting the materiality of the photographic process itself. The photograph thus transcends mere representation, engaging in a discourse about the nature of perception and historical memory.