Munttoren, gezien vanaf de Bloemenmarkt 1904

James Higson made this photograph of the Munttoren as seen from Bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam at the turn of the 20th century. There’s such incredible detail here, even though it’s not a painting – the reflections of the buildings on the canal water are just sublime! I wonder what Higson was thinking when he captured this scene. Did he consider the relationship between the buildings and the boats in the foreground? Or was he simply trying to capture the beauty of the city? I look at the tower and I can imagine what it must have been like to stand on the Bloemenmarkt, smelling all the flowers and watching the boats float by, whilst trying to capture this lively scene through a lens. The sepia tones give a real sense of the past, making the image both beautiful and melancholic. It makes you wonder how many other artists have been inspired by this very view!