Ruïnes bij de Korte Hoogstraat en het Steiger te Rotterdam c. 1940 - 1945

This photograph captures the ruins near Korte Hoogstraat and Steiger in Rotterdam and was taken by J. Nolte. It's a world rendered in grayscale, a stark palette that amplifies the devastation on display. The eye is drawn to the textures of broken brick and twisted metal, stark reminders of a city torn apart. Look closely at the skeletal remains of buildings, like the one on the right. See how light and shadow play across the gutted facade? You can almost feel the weight of history and the absence of life that permeates this image. This photograph reminds me of a Francis Bacon painting. It's a scream. The way he used to smear and distort figures on canvas. It’s a visual record, yes, but it’s also a visceral response to something terrible. It leaves you unsettled, questioning, and perhaps, more aware.