José NICOLAS (1956) - Lot 393

José NICOLAS (1956) The Tram, Lisbon, Portugal, 1985 Silver print On back, titled, dated, located, signed Dimensions: 30 x 40 cm Note: In this photograph taken in Lisbon in 1985, José Nicolas captures a moving streetcar on a narrow street, emblematic of the Portuguese urban landscape. The composition is structured by the diagonal of the vehicle and the lines of the rails that guide the eye, while the contrasting light cuts through the volumes of the facade and the pavement. Through the windows, the silhouettes of the passengers introduce a human and narrative dimension, transforming the streetcar into a mobile living space. In this way, the photographer captures an ordinary yet atmospheric moment, where traffic, architecture and everyday life mingle. True to his documentary approach, José Nicolas strives to reveal the discreet poetry of urban scenes. He turns this banal moment into an image evocative of the city's rhythm, between movement and immobility, tradition and modernity.