Leporelloalbum met 6 lichtdrukken: Amsterdamse stadsgezichten c. 1880 - 1895

This leporello album presents six collotypes of Amsterdam cityscapes, crafted by Andries Jager. The album presents a sequential unfolding of scenes, linked through the consistent monochromatic palette and the unifying presence of Amsterdam's canals. Each image in the series is structured around the interplay of architectural solidity and fluid reflection. Jager uses the canal waters not just as a compositional element, but as a mirror that fractures and duplicates the urban landscape. This technique destabilizes our perception, blurring the line between the tangible and the ethereal. The subdued tonal range emphasizes the structural forms and textures of the buildings, inviting the viewer to contemplate the city’s architectural language. The choice of the leporello format further enhances this dialogue. The unfolding sequence encourages a comparative viewing, prompting us to consider how each scene relates to the others. This invites a semiotic reading of the images, where buildings, boats and waterways function as signs within a larger urban text. In effect, Jager offers a meditation on the nature of representation itself, underscoring the inherent instability of visual meaning.