Gezicht op kasteel Middachten in De Steeg 1904

Geldolph Adriaan Kessler captured this view of Middachten Castle in De Steeg with photography, a medium that flattens space and time. Look at how the subtle gradations of tone, from the creamy foreground to the soft grays of the distant castle, create depth, or the *illusion* of it. The texture is smooth, almost velvety, a testament to the photographic process of the time. See the light flare at the top of the right hand image, a wonderful reminder of the physical and alchemical processes at play here. The composition, with the symmetrical trees framing the castle, reminds me a little of the landscapes of 17th century Dutch masters, but rendered with a modern eye. Like a painting, the photograph isn't just about recording what's there, but about constructing a way of seeing. It suggests a kind of quiet contemplation, a moment of stillness captured in time.