A Design of the Desert 1938

Karl de Laittre Jr.’s photograph, *A Design of the Desert*, captures a field of desert grasses, probably taken sometime in the 1930s. I can imagine him wandering out into the desert landscape to capture this composition. It’s interesting, isn’t it? The way the artist has framed this photo, making use of light and shadow! He’s really brought out the texture of the grasses. It’s almost palpable. What might de Laittre have been thinking? Perhaps something about the endurance of nature, or how life finds a way to thrive even in the harshest environments. I find myself wondering if Georgia O’Keeffe ever saw this work. She also explored the desert landscape with a similar sense of wonder. Looking at this piece I'm reminded of the ongoing conversation between artists across time and place, each one building on what came before, each with something of their own to say. And that, my friends, is what makes art so endlessly fascinating.