Brink te Assen 1878 - 1890

This albumen print, titled 'Brink te Assen' was made by Johannes Gerardus Kramer, who was active in the Netherlands during the late 19th century. This image offers us a glimpse into the social and economic life of a small Dutch town. The 'Brink', or town square, served as a central hub for commerce and community gatherings. Kramer’s photograph captures the architectural simplicity of the buildings surrounding the square, reflecting the area’s provincial character. The presence of bare trees suggests a photograph taken in the colder months. The clarity and detail provided by the albumen printing process allows us to study the fashion and possibly the social standing of the figures present. To fully understand the artwork, one would need to delve into archives, local histories, and period newspapers. Such resources would help clarify the nuances of daily life in Assen and Kramer’s position within that society. The meaning we find in art is always bound up with these wider contexts.