Vrouwen in klederdracht met manden op straat 1920 - 1940

G. Hidderley made this photograph, “Women in traditional clothing with baskets on the street” at an unknown date, and with unknown materials. The way light falls in this sepia toned image almost feels like a painting, with its gradations of tone and textures. It is like a fleeting moment suspended in time. In the lower left of the frame a lone woman strides forward, away from the group, there's something about her singular direction that feels very modern. Her figure is a tonal study, with the folds of her skirt echoing the architectural forms around her. Hidderley captures the weight and texture of the fabrics, drawing our attention to their materiality. It makes me think of paintings by Manet, how he would build forms through subtle shifts in tone and surface. This image, with its muted palette and its focus on the everyday, speaks to the enduring power of the photographic image, capturing a sense of light and place.