Platbodem en eenmaster op zee 1902

This photograph of ships at sea was taken by Frits Freerks Fontein sometime in the early 20th Century. The muted tones remind me of early film, where the chemical processes felt more immediate and the capture of light felt almost alchemic. Look at the texture of the water in the foreground, it's so tactile, you can almost feel the spray, and then notice how it shifts in the distance as the ship becomes a silhouette. The flatness of the image gives it an almost painterly quality. I’m reminded of Gerhard Richter’s seascapes, how he blurs the line between photography and painting. The relationship between the two ships creates a nice balance, a dynamic interplay of forms in a limited tonal range, it feels very composed, a study of light and form, and the ongoing conversation between photography and painting.