Gezicht op de Binnen-Amstel, in de verte de Munttoren 1904

James Higson made this photographic print of the Binnen-Amstel in Amsterdam sometime between 1862 and 1933. Look at how he’s used the sepia tones, a kind of monochrome that gives the whole scene a feeling of being gently submerged, as if the city is dreaming. I can imagine Higson setting up his camera, trying to capture the light as it shifts on the water, reflecting the buildings and the distant Munttoren. There’s something incredibly serene about the way the water mirrors the architecture. I wonder if he was thinking about the Dutch Masters, like Rembrandt, who played with light and shadow to create such depth and mood? The way he has framed the composition, it feels like he’s inviting us to step into this quiet moment in time. It’s this ongoing conversation between artists, across the ages, looking and responding and inspiring. It makes you realize how much art is about seeing, but also about feeling and remembering.