Then & Now

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for voting this entry into the spotlight page!
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Recently I saw a painting of a court in Haarlem that somewhere made me think of 'The Little Street' by the famous Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer from Delft.

As I do everything in Delft Blue I thought it would be nice to make a comparison shot and try to find the exact location.

That turned out to be easier said than done. I knew it's a painting of the oldest of the 22 courts in Haarlem called the Bakenes Court but also the oldest in Holland as it's founded in 1395!!

Anyway, I found the entrance pretty fast as Haarlem isn't that big, but..... The entrance didn't exactly resemble the photo I had with me?!

So I asked a lot of native inhabitants where the paintings entrance could be found but every single one sent me to this same - but in my opinion wrong - entrance, stating it's the only entrance and it even has an official sign on the door.

Disappointed that they had rebuilt the original gate facade and my idea failed I set out to shoot something else.

I took a narrow alley to see where faith would lead me and guess what... I found a back entrance thats exactly the painting!!!!

A pity was that the door was locked, but - hey I'm a sunday child - one of the courts inhabitants came home and opened the gate, so I asked her if she would leave it open till I made my shot and promissed I would close it when I was ready. She agreed with a smile, making my day. Just look at the light inside!