Ingang en toren van het stadhuis te Gennep c. 1902

This photo of the entrance and tower of Gennep Town Hall was taken by someone whose name is lost to us. This photographic print has a sepia tone that gives it a dreamy feel, don’t you think? It's like the edges of a memory. The photographer, whoever they were, framed the scene in a way that draws your eye upwards, towards the tower. I imagine them, setting up their equipment, adjusting the focus, waiting for the light to be just right. What were they thinking as they captured this image? Were they thinking about the people who would pass through that entrance, the stories that would unfold within those walls? You can almost feel the weight of history in this image, the echoes of countless decisions and debates, of triumphs and tragedies. It reminds me of other architectural studies where the building becomes a character, a silent witness to the passage of time. It’s a reminder that we’re all part of an ongoing conversation, building on the ideas and creations of those who came before us.