Street in Mentone c. 20th century

This photograph, "Street in Mentone" by Robert Demachy, feels like it was coaxed into existence. The sepia tones, the way the light seems to almost dissolve the edges of the buildings – it’s less about capturing a scene and more about conjuring a mood. Demachy’s mark-making here, if you can call it that, is all about atmosphere. The figures working by the barrel almost blend into the street. It’s like they’re part of the very fabric of the place. I imagine he wasn’t after sharp details but something more felt, more lived-in. There’s a warmth that comes from the brown hues but also a kind of melancholy in the soft focus, as though he's trying to capture something fleeting. The whole thing reminds me of the painter James McNeill Whistler. Both artists were really interested in capturing an impression, in letting the world blur a little at the edges. And isn't that what art's all about? Embracing the blurry bits, the stuff that resists easy answers.