Gezicht op een chalet before 1894

Hendrik Herman van den Berg made this small photograph, “Gezicht op een chalet,” using an early photographic process. Van den Berg’s life and work were deeply entwined with the Netherlands, but he died in hiding, during the Nazi occupation. Although seemingly a simple landscape, this photograph invites a closer look at themes of refuge and identity. Chalets, often seen as symbols of pastoral escape, take on a different resonance when viewed through the lens of someone living through conflict. Van den Berg's personal experiences during the war are largely unspoken, but his choice of subject matter hints at a longing for peace, a visual yearning for safety and simplicity amidst turmoil. The photograph’s modest scale enhances its intimacy, drawing viewers into a quiet contemplation of home, safety, and the complex relationship between personal identity and national crisis. It reminds us that even the simplest images can hold profound emotional and historical weight.