Interieur van de Pieterskerk te Leiden 1902

This photograph of the Pieterskerk in Leiden was made anonymously, and what strikes me is its commitment to capturing a sense of space and light. The sepia tone gives everything a soft, dreamy quality, like looking back through time. The texture of the photograph is fascinating. The image isn't crisp. There is a blurring of detail which almost feels like an act of painting. The photograph's sepia tone flattens the image, but I notice that the eye is encouraged to move back into space by the receding arches. Look at the subtle variations in tone and how the pillars almost seem to disappear into the distance, only to reappear with a newfound clarity closer to the viewer. This reminds me that art is about creating a feeling as much as it is about representing reality. Thinking about Gerhard Richter's blurred photographs, they both share an interest in the tension between clarity and ambiguity. Neither seeks to offer definitive answers, instead of embracing the potential of art to invite us into a world of uncertainty and wonder.