Gezicht op het Begijnhof achter de Waalse Kerk, te Haarlem 1916

Editor: Here we have Paulus Nicolaas van Alff's "Gezicht op het Begijnhof achter de Waalse Kerk, te Haarlem," created in 1916. It looks like an etching, maybe with some ink and pencil on paper. It's such a quietly evocative scene... a sort of stillness in a city space. What stands out to you when you look at it? Curator: That quietness you noticed is precisely what draws me in! The artist clearly wants to capture a mood more than precise detail. You know, I imagine him, sketchbook in hand, lingering in this hidden courtyard. See how the light filters through, how he uses lines to suggest textures. It’s like a memory, isn't it? What do you make of that small puddle reflecting the buildings? Editor: It gives a sense of depth and kind of mirrors the scene, drawing your eye down. I almost missed it! Curator: Exactly! It's a portal to another perspective, right there in the street. Also, note the people barely visible on the left! Van Alff doesn't need to show them clearly. Their presence is felt without them dominating. He trusts us to fill in the details of their lives and activities. A wonderful trust in the observer's power! Editor: It makes you feel like you're a part of the scene yourself, discovering it alongside him. Almost voyeuristic! Curator: A benevolent voyeur, of course! This little glimpse has stirred something inside of me. It made me want to rummage through Haarlem's hidden corners myself, camera, or sketchbook in hand, attempting to find something beautiful that has long existed but nobody sees, hidden in plain view. What do you take away? Editor: I now appreciate the art of suggestion so much more! Less can indeed be more. Curator: Absolutely!