Bezoek aan Leiden 1930 - 1931

Berti Hoppe compiled this photo album page, "Bezoek aan Leiden," with snapshots from a trip in September or October of 1930. It's a modest, casual arrangement, the kinds of pictures people take on vacation: architecture, landscapes, an old mill, bodies of water. Each photograph is a small, contained world of greyscale, revealing a moment in time. I like the corners holding the photographs in place. They give a sense of formality to the album page, but also feel domestic and personal. Each photograph shows the landscape as captured by the artist, with an eye for shadow and form. There's something touching about seeing these old images, evidence of a life lived and experiences cherished. It reminds me that art isn't just about grand statements; it's about seeing the world around us and capturing those moments, those fleeting glimpses of beauty, in whatever way we can. Think of the work of someone like Gerhard Richter, who takes pictures of photographs to create new paintings and to highlight the medium.