Doorkijk in de Voorstraatshaven in Dordrecht met op de achtergrond de overkluizing van het Scheffersplein c. 1900 - 1910

This vintage photograph of the Voorstraatshaven in Dordrecht, taken by G. Hidderley, feels like stepping back in time. I imagine Hidderley, carefully composing this shot, maybe thinking about the way the light reflects on the water, turning the canal into a shimmering mirror. Those buildings! They lean in, almost as if they're gossiping about the folks in the rowboat. What were they saying? Did they feel the same kind of quiet wonder that I do, looking at this scene now? The greyscale palette is incredible. The way the buildings fade into the background gives the image this incredible depth, and the dark water anchors it. I feel like I am there with them, experiencing the scene in a very tangible way. Isn’t it wild how artists, across time, are all just trying to capture a feeling, a moment, a fleeting glimpse of something real?