Interieur van de Nieuwezijds Kapel te Amsterdam 1908

Albert Adriaansz made this photograph of the Nieuwezijds Kapel in Amsterdam, sometime around 1900. It looks like the artist has used a printing-out paper, which is a photographic paper that produces a visible image by exposure to daylight, without chemical development. The monochrome palette gives it a timeless feel, doesn't it? The texture is smooth, but the detail is incredible, look at how the light catches on the columns. I'm drawn to the ladder leaning against the back wall - a small detail that suggests a human presence. There's a wonderful contrast between the static architecture and the sense of ongoing work. Adriaansz's photography reminds me a little bit of Berenice Abbott's architectural studies. But where Abbott's images are sharp and precise, Adriaansz's has a softer, more atmospheric quality. Both are working with similar ideas of capturing urban space, but from distinctly different perspectives. And in the end, isn’t art just a constant conversation?