Gezicht op treinstel, station en publiek op het Vaillantsplein in Paramaribo bij de opening van de Lawaspoorweg (Landsspoorweg) op 28 maart 1905 Possibly 1905

This photograph of the train set, station, and crowd at Vaillants Square in Paramaribo was captured by Eugen Klein on March 28, 1905, on the opening day of the Lawa Railway. It’s all there in monochrome, a world of white hats, a low building in the background, and the train itself. Just imagine Klein setting up his camera, framing the scene with care, and hoping to capture the excitement of the moment. He's dealing with light and shadow, trying to convey the energy of a place bustling with people, a new train, and a big sky overhead. It must have been a challenge with all those people milling about, hoping for a good shot. The photograph has this faded, ethereal quality, like a memory. And now, a century or so later, we’re still looking at it, thinking about the stories it tells, and the people who were there. Isn’t it fascinating how an image can carry so much history, so much feeling, across time?