Kinderen bij een tinmijn 1900 - 1922

This is a photograph by Robert Julius Boers, "Kinderen bij een tinmijn", though we don't know exactly when it was made. The sepia tones make the scene feel like a memory, a glimpse into a world both familiar and distant. It’s all about texture here, isn't it? The rough bark of the tree, the coarse clothes of the children, all rendered with a beautiful clarity. You can almost feel the humidity, the weight of the tropical air. Look at the way the light catches on the edge of the mining pool. It’s a simple moment, but it’s full of life. This photograph reminds me a little of Jacob Riis's documentary photography. It's an ongoing conversation about how we see the world, and what stories we choose to tell. Art is always an invitation, and this photograph is no different, it suggests that there may be more than one reading of the image.