Main street in Canton 1908

Geldolph Adriaan Kessler made this snapshot of Main Street in Canton, but when? I can imagine the photographer, Kessler, walking down this busy thoroughfare in Canton. I wonder what he was thinking as he looked through the lens. What did he want to capture? Maybe he wanted to show the hustle and bustle of city life, with people hurrying to and fro. Or perhaps he was drawn to the architectural details of the buildings lining the street. The signs with their elegant writing. The buildings feel claustrophobic, as they lean in and cover the sky. I am fascinated by the textures in this shot – the smooth stones of the street and the rough surfaces of the buildings. I bet Kessler noticed all the little details, the way the light played on the surfaces, the shadows that gave depth and mystery to the scene. Painters often look to photography for inspiration and new ways of seeing the world. Whether conscious or not, all artists are in conversation with one another through time. The best art embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, letting us see and feel something new each time we look at it.