Plantage Accaribo 1913 - 1930

Theodoor Brouwers made this early photograph, ‘Plantage Accaribo’, at an unknown date. It’s a delicate print with a strong composition. I love the way the greys come together, building a picture from shadow, and the slightly damaged emulsion gives it a tactile quality. The perspective draws you right in, the parallel lines of the wooden bridge lead to two figures. You get a sense of the artist's hand in selecting the viewpoint, defining the frame and capturing a decisive moment. Everything is described with such economy, but the textures are rich and varied: from the worn planks of the bridge, to the clapboard houses in the distance. It reminds me of some of the photographic work of Eugène Atget, who documented the streets of Paris in a similar period. Both artists seem to share an interest in the way simple documentary photography can be imbued with mood, and how even the most everyday subject can be a potent source of artistic expression.