Wehrmacht soldaten op oefening 1941 - 1943

This photograph, whose maker is unknown, captures Wehrmacht soldiers during training, and it's printed on paper. The monochromatic palette and grainy texture lends a documentary feel to the image, but its small size gives it an intimacy like a snapshot from a family album. The composition draws you into the scene by using the backs of horses and cyclists, making the viewer part of the march. Light reflects off the road, creating an atmosphere of a damp day. Each figure ahead, rendered in varying degrees of focus, seems to recede into the distance. The blurry figure in the foreground left is like a dark curtain being pulled aside. It makes me think of Walker Evans, who was also interested in documenting everyday realities but infusing them with a sense of poetry and reflection. Ultimately, this photograph is a reminder that art, even in its simplest forms, can invite us to consider different perspectives and meanings.