Struik in bloei c. 1900 - 1930

Richard Tepe made this photograph, “Struik in bloei”, sometime in his lifetime, using a process that turns light into shades of grey. It’s like he's coaxing the image out, bit by bit, from the dark. I love how the blossoms almost seem to float, like little clouds clustered on the branches. The texture isn't smooth, but full of tiny details, almost like a tapestry. There’s a patch, maybe in the lower left, where the tones are so dense it's hard to make out individual leaves. It's a reminder that seeing isn't just about clarity, it’s also about getting lost in the shadows. You know, it reminds me a little of some of Alfred Stieglitz's early photographs. They were both looking at the world in a way that wasn’t just about documentation, but about feeling and atmosphere. Isn't it amazing how art can keep these conversations going, across time?