Maastricht. Helpoort c. 1919 - 1950

This little sepia photograph of the Helpoort in Maastricht is a real beauty, isn't it? It’s unsigned, so we don’t know who made it, but you can imagine them there with their camera, framing the scene, waiting for the light. I’m wondering about the hand that exposed this image—what were they thinking? Did they know the history of the place, of its role in defending the city? I bet they were moved by the monumentality of it—the rough texture of the stone, the way the towers reach up. And that gentle curve where the walls meet. It almost makes the building look like a big old ship. Think about it, these buildings have a life—they are inhabited, they change and evolve, they are patched up, they wear the marks of time, and that's what makes it interesting. The artist is always in conversation with their subject and with the world. A painting can really make you feel something and makes you want to do something too.