Toren van de Remigiuskerk te Duiven 1905

This photograph of Toren van de Remigiuskerk te Duiven was made by an anonymous photographer. It’s so interesting how the sepia tone flattens the image. There are subtle gradations, but the way the light hits the building almost makes it look like a paper model. The texture here is everything. There’s a softness to the stone, and the dark doorway really pulls you in. Then there’s this tension created by the geometric rigidity of the architecture against the wispy brushstrokes of the trees. It is like two different approaches to mark-making occupying the same space, an echo of the internal and external world. Look at how the trees on either side of the entrance seem to gesture inwards, inviting you to cross the threshold. Thinking about other artists, I’m reminded of some of Atget’s architectural photos, where the surface almost dissolves into abstraction. Ultimately, this image celebrates the beautiful ambiguities of light and shadow, reminding us that seeing is never a fixed or finished act.