Nieuwmarkt van Amsterdam met de Waag, marktkramen en kinderen c. 1905 - 1907

Folkert Idzes de Jong captured the Nieuwmarkt of Amsterdam with its Waag, market stalls, and children. This image feels like a captured moment in time, a day at the market where the artist wandered, capturing the hustle and bustle of the square, the towers of the Weigh House, and the interactions between people. I wonder if it was a bright, sunny day, or perhaps the sky was overcast. The architecture is so imposing and stoic compared with the impermanence of the market or the ephemeral nature of childhood. What was de Jong trying to capture? The sense of community? Or, maybe he was just interested in how light and shadow played across the scene, creating contrast and depth in a monochromatic scene. The placement of the children feels so random, but it gives the image a feeling of warmth.