Gezicht op Bergen (Noorwegen) c. 1870 - 1900

This is Knud Knudsen’s "Gezicht op Bergen (Noorwegen)", a landscape photograph of Bergen, Norway. The composition is structured by a high vantage point, offering an expansive view of the city nestled between water and mountains. Notice how the photograph captures depth through distinct layers: the foreground with its detailed foliage, the midground dominated by the reflective bay, and the background featuring the distant, softly defined mountains. Knudsen uses a monochromatic palette, which enhances the textural contrasts between the natural elements and the urban sprawl. The buildings are clustered closely together, creating a complex pattern that highlights the human imposition on the landscape. The photograph can be seen as an attempt to document and organize the visual information of a complex environment. The very act of framing this view and presenting it as a singular image raises questions about how we perceive and categorize space, memory, and place.