Kapel van het Sint Anna Aalmoeshuis te Leiden met het drieluik met de aanbidding van de koningen door P. Coecke van Aelst c. 1900 - 1940

Richard Tepe made this photograph of the Chapel of the Sint Anna Aalmoeshuis in Leiden, with the triptych of the adoration of the kings by P. Coecke van Aelst, sometime between 1864 and 1952. The subtle tonal range in this photograph is what really grabs me, with its delicate shifts in light and shadow. It almost feels like a painting, where the artist is carefully building up layers of glazes, veiling and revealing different aspects of the scene. Look at how the light catches the altar. You can almost feel the cool smoothness of the stone. The soft, muted palette evokes a sense of quiet contemplation, a sacred stillness. Then, the eye is drawn to the darker, central panel of the triptych, with all its barely visible detail. The surface texture is so rich and complex, a testament to the alchemy that occurs when light meets surface. It reminds me a little of the work of Atget, another photographer who was fascinated by the poetry of everyday life. Ultimately, this is a work that invites us to slow down, to look more closely, and to find beauty in the unexpected.