Pim op balkon Oranjestraat 1903 - 1910

Hendrik Doijer made this photograph of Pim on a balcony on Oranjestraat sometime between 1863 and 1925. It’s hard to tell what the weather was like that day, but it looks like it might have been warm enough to go barefoot. There's something so simple about the way Doijer composes this scene. The light is soft, almost hazy, creating a sense of intimacy. I find myself wondering about the little details, like the faded quality of the image, which gives it a certain nostalgic charm. But the way the light hits Pim's face is just exquisite. It's as if Doijer captured a fleeting moment of childhood innocence and wonder. Doijer reminds me a little of someone like Eugène Atget, who wandered the streets of Paris, documenting the city's changing landscape with a similar sense of curiosity and affection. Both artists seemed to find beauty in the everyday, elevating the ordinary to the level of art. And isn’t that really what art is all about anyway?