Paleis van de sultan van Zanzibar, gezien vanaf het water c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph of the Sultan’s palace in Zanzibar was captured from the water by the Coutinho Brothers. Look at the way the composition invites us to glide across the water, towards the imposing architecture on the horizon. It feels like setting the scene in a play, you know? The tonal range in the print emphasizes the textures of the water and the sky, creating a soft atmospheric effect. The overall effect is almost painterly, with the details obscured, which reminds me how much photography and painting have always been in conversation with each other. I keep coming back to the boats in the foreground, which look so small against the backdrop of the palace. It’s a reminder that even the grandest structures are just temporary markers, floating on the surface of a much bigger world. It reminds me a little of Gerhard Richter's seascapes, in that way. Anyway, food for thought!