Zuidzijde Grote of Sint-Stephanuskerk te Hasselt 1904

This hazy, sepia photograph, Zuidzijde Grote of Sint-Stephanuskerk te Hasselt, was produced by an anonymous photographer for Monumentenzorg. The view is from a distance, mediated through vegetation, with a ladder placed centrally, leaning upwards. It looks like a candid, casual snapshot, but it also gives off the impression of a carefully staged scene. I'm thinking, what was the photographer thinking? Were they looking at some other photograph or painting? It makes me think about the history of other painters, like Corot, capturing buildings in soft grey light. I wonder if this photographer knew the work of Eugène Atget, who dedicated his artistic career to documenting the architecture and streetscapes of Paris. The ladder is such a curious detail, a kind of compositional armature that holds the other elements together. It feels like the photographer is inviting us to look closer. What I love about photography, and painting too, is that it's all about looking, responding, and seeing what others have done. You're always having a conversation with the past and with other image makers.