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

Folkert Idzes de Jong made this photograph of the Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam, with its market stalls, kids, and the Waag building, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It’s a simple photo, but full of life! The greyish tones make it feel like a memory, something slightly removed from the present. Look how the light falls on the Waag, that central building. The texture of the old stone is palpable. There's a lot of activity in the foreground with the market stalls. You can almost hear the chatter of the vendors and the footsteps of the people milling about. And the two kids, standing right there in front—they are so sweet! I love how their presence brings a sense of humanity to the scene. It makes me think of Eugène Atget. He also documented city life, but there’s something about the directness and simplicity of this image that feels particularly intimate.