De Rollepass (Italiaans: Passo di Rolle) met de Cimon della Pala, Italië c. 1890 - 1925

Photoglob & Co. made this photograph of De Rollepass with the Cimon della Pala, in Italy. It’s a landscape, and what I see first is the contrast. A tonal range of greys, from almost white to nearly black. Look how the road cuts a diagonal line through the scene, drawing you in, and offering a route through the imposing vista. The surface of the photograph itself is smooth, but the image captures so much texture. Jagged rocks, soft clouds, grassy banks, and the rough texture of the peaks. The peaks themselves have a kind of frozen energy, like captured movement. I’m reminded of the work of someone like Vija Celmins, maybe it's the tonal range that does it, where the everyday is elevated through attention, and a certain softness of focus. Art is really about how we see, and what we choose to focus on. It’s a conversation across time, with no final word, thank goodness.