Gedeelte van de Hervormde Kerk te Langerak 1905

This photograph of the Hervormde Kerk in Langerak was taken in August 1905 by an anonymous photographer working for Monumentenzorg. It’s a very muted palette, isn’t it? All browns, sepias, and creams. The tones feel like they could almost be watercolors, despite the subject being brick, stone, and mortar. I am intrigued by the dark, almost black stains on the wall around the large gothic window. The shadow it casts is so rich, they create a sense of depth and almost feel like active characters in the work. It shows how the surfaces of old buildings like this are not only built but also made through weathering, ageing, and the marks of time. You can't help but think about the touch of human hands, even though we don't know who made the picture, or the building. This image reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who photographed industrial buildings as a way of documenting them but also elevating them to the status of art. Like the Bechers, this photographer sees the beauty in the everyday, in the overlooked. It's a reminder that art is all around us, if we only take the time to look.