The photograph titled “London Bridge,” created by artist Alvin Langdon Coburn in 1905, depicts a scene of the historic bridge bustling with activity. The image conveys a sense of motion and daily life from the early 20th century. You can see horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians crowding the bridge, which spans over what appears to be a calm body of water. The architecture of the bridge with its large supporting arches is indicative of the engineering style of the period. The photograph bears the signature of the artist on the bottom, lending a personal touch to the image.
The slightly blurry and ethereal quality of the photograph suggests it could have been taken with a longer exposure time, which was a common characteristic of photos from that era due to the limitations of photographic technology. This effect adds a sense of timelessness to the image. It’s a snapshot of London’s past, captured by Coburn, an influential photographer known for his pioneering work in pictorialism, which emphasized the beauty and artistic quality of photography.
