A Blind Musician - Granada 1914

James Craig Annan made this image, A Blind Musician - Granada, using photogravure, a process that yields a printed image from a photograph. The tones are soft and muted, almost like a hazy memory. It’s a scene of everyday life, yet filled with a haunting quality. I imagine Annan walking through Granada, seeing this musician, and being struck by the play of light and shadow on the wall. The musician, with his guitar, becomes a figure of resilience and artistry amid adversity. What was Annan thinking as he captured this moment? Was he considering how art transcends physical limitations, or simply drawn to the composition? The texture created by the photogravure process is fascinating. The subtle gradations and velvety blacks contribute to the emotional depth of the image. It reminds me that the artistic process is an exchange of ideas. The conversation that painters have been having for centuries. Each artist offering something to another’s vision. It’s more like an open-ended inquiry that allows us to feel and interpret the world anew.