Zuidzijde van de Sint-Gertrudiskerk te Oirle 1904

This is a photograph of the south side of the Sint-Gertrudiskerk in Oirle, made by an anonymous artist working for Monumentenzorg, which translates to 'monument care'. Looking at this sepia image, I imagine the photographer considering the light, watching it wash over the stone walls and steeple of the church. Perhaps they were thinking about how to capture the gravitas of the building, its solidity and history. I wonder about the choice of the angle, the way the light softens the edges, blurring the distinction between the building and the sky. The muted tones evoke a sense of timelessness. There's a stillness to the composition that invites quiet contemplation. It reminds me a little of Atget's photographs of Paris - documenting the old city, but also poetically evoking a mood. Photography, like painting, is about seeing and feeling, recording a moment, but also interpreting it. Each photograph is a conversation with the past, a nod to those who came before, a contribution to the ongoing dialogue of art and life.