A living in China town before 1908

Geldolph Adriaan Kessler made this photograph, A living in China town, date unknown. The tonal range in this photograph is so delicate, it’s almost like a watercolor. There's a lovely depth of field, it's slightly blurred, like a memory. What strikes me most is the figure in the foreground, his hands clasped, and that subtle look of resilience. The grainy texture adds to the feeling of witnessing a specific, fleeting moment. The light seems to be diffused, giving the scene an even, almost dreamlike quality. It reminds me of the way early modernist painters like Vuillard used to capture intimate, everyday scenes. The composition, with its balance of light and shadow, feels incredibly considered, almost painterly, and makes you wonder, was he thinking about painting when he took this shot? This image chimes with the work of someone like Lisette Model, who documented life in New York during the same period, with that same kind of unflinching, but tender eye. Art, whether in photography or painting, is always about seeing and feeling, and sharing that with others.