Huizen en schepen langs een rivier 1903 - 1907

This photograph, “Huizen en schepen langs een rivier,” shows houses and ships by a river. It was made by an anonymous artist, and the date is unknown. Look at how the composition and muted grayscale tones evoke a sense of distance. The river, with its shimmering surface, dominates the lower half of the image, while the distant houses and ship are rendered in soft focus. The texture of the photograph itself contributes to the overall effect, the slight graininess and subtle variations in tone adding depth and complexity to the image. The horizon line, where the river meets the land, is not a hard stop, but more of a negotiation. It reminds me of the work of Gerhard Richter, where abstraction and representation collide. “Huizen en schepen langs een rivier” resists easy categorization, inviting us to linger in the space between clarity and ambiguity.