Still Life 1908

Adolph de Meyer conjured this still life with a camera, at an unknown date. It’s a photograph, but it’s not just about recording. It's as if he’s painting with light. I wonder what de Meyer was thinking as he arranged the glass, the water, and the wilting flower? It’s a quiet, intimate setup. The flower droops, heavy with the weight of its own bloom, almost mirrored in the way the water clings to the inside of the glass. The shadows, soft and blurred, create a feeling of melancholy and ephemeral beauty. You know, I sometimes feel like that flower! He’s playing with a muted palette of grays and whites. The light catches the glass and the water just so, making them glow. It reminds me of the quiet, contemplative still lifes of Giorgio Morandi, those endless variations on bottles and jars. What a conversation through time.