Raadhuisstraat gezien richting Westertoren before 1907

This photograph of Raadhuisstraat looking towards Westertoren was taken by Andries Jager, but it’s hard to put a specific date on it. It’s a dreamy, almost faded image, like a memory seen through sepia-tinted glasses. The magic for me lies in its texture; it’s not just about what's depicted, but how the light seems to cling to the surfaces, making the buildings breathe. The way the tower of Westertoren looms in the distance, it almost feels like a mirage, or an apparition, as if the whole scene is about to dissolve back into the ether. Look closely and you’ll see how the details of the buildings are softened, edges blurred. It’s as if Jager is not just capturing a street, but a feeling, a moment. In a way, this piece reminds me of some of Gerhard Richter’s blurred paintings, where the focus is not on sharp representation, but on the process of seeing itself. It shows us that art is not just about capturing reality, but about creating new ways of experiencing it.