Breiende vrouw met kind c. 1900 - 1910

This photograph by G. Hidderley captures a woman knitting with a child, its stark monochrome tones creating a window into another time. I imagine Hidderley carefully framing the shot, considering light and shadow as the image slowly comes to life in the developing tray. What was it like to be a photographer then, with all the careful preparation, the darkroom alchemy? The texture is slightly grainy, typical of the period, and the tonal range, from deep blacks to soft greys, gives depth and substance to the scene. The quiet domesticity is touching, but it's the technical process that I find so resonant. In her focus, there's a quiet sort of grace and resilience. I find myself wondering about the broader artistic movements of the time, and the urge to document everyday life. We build on the work of those who came before, taking inspiration, finding new ways to see and express. Photography, like painting, is a conversation across time, a dialogue between artists and their world.