Interieur van de Nieuwezijds Kapel te Amsterdam 1908

Albert Adriaansz made this photograph of the Nieuwezijds Kapel in Amsterdam sometime around 1900. What’s fascinating is how Adriaansz plays with light and shadow, creating depth and texture in a black and white image. You can see it’s a church under renovation. The columns stand tall and the scaffolding obscures them, creating a kind of dance between what is solid and what is temporary. Look closely at the base of each column. The way the light catches the rough edges of the wood gives it an almost tactile quality. It’s not just about seeing; it’s about feeling the weight and the age of the structure. It reminds me of the way Giorgio Morandi would paint bottles – simple, everyday objects transformed into something monumental through attention to light and form. Just like Morandi, Adriaansz finds beauty in the mundane, inviting us to slow down and appreciate the quiet dignity of this space.