Prentbriefkaart aan Willem Bogtman Possibly 1929

This photo was taken by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst; it’s a postcard of Lugano, sent to Willem Bogtman. It’s interesting to consider Holst’s practice, particularly his work as a designer, as a process of thinking through images, as well as making them. The tones in the image are muted, almost hazy, giving it a real sense of depth. The landscape is made up of a lake, some small buildings nestled in the foothills, and mountains in the distance. It is difficult to tell how far away the mountains are. The sky blends into the water, and there is an incredible textural unity between the different elements. In the foreground, there are trees with distinctive blossoms; these contrast against the smooth surface of the water. The composition feels both natural and staged; Holst seems interested in capturing the essence of a place, but also in manipulating it to achieve a specific aesthetic effect. The work of Symbolist painters like Odilon Redon comes to mind, with its focus on capturing subjective experience, rather than objective reality. The final image invites multiple interpretations, leaving space for the viewer’s own imagination to fill in the gaps.