Gezicht op de Middensteiger en Kolk te Rotterdam 1900 - 1920

This image, *Gezicht op de Middensteiger en Kolk te Rotterdam*, by G. Hidderley, shows us a view of a canal in Rotterdam. It’s a photograph, so the mark-making is all about the light and shadow, captured in shades of brown and sepia. Look at how the reflections shimmer on the water, almost like thick, glossy paint. The buildings seem to melt into the canal, their rigid forms softened by the ripples. And the boats! They sit heavy in the water, their masts reaching up like delicate brushstrokes against the sky. I’m drawn to the way the photographer uses the water as a kind of mirror, doubling the architectural details and creating a sense of depth and mystery. It makes me think of Canaletto, the Venetian painter, and his meticulous cityscapes, but with a more melancholic feel. Photography and painting, always in conversation.