Nest met eieren van Koolmees c. 1870 - 1940

This stereoscopic image of a nest with eggs of a Koolmees, was made by Adolphe Burdet sometime between 1860 and 1940. The textures in this photograph are incredible, aren’t they? Just look at the soft down that lines the nest, and the sharp twigs that make up its structure. It's a study in contrasts. Your eye is immediately drawn to the smooth, pale eggs nestled at the center, a little like a painter setting up a focal point with highlights. I love how Burdet has captured this private, almost secret moment. The composition is so carefully arranged, with the nest perfectly framed by the surrounding foliage. It reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who photographed industrial structures with a similar sense of detachment and precision, as if they were documenting a vanishing world. What does it mean to preserve something? This photograph feels like that act.