Bomen in het oerwoud 1903 - 1910

Hendrik Doijer's tiny photograph, Bomen in het oerwoud, shows us trees in the jungle! It's a scene, captured in monochrome, that hints at the density and drama of an untouched space. The tones are so close in value, it is hard to pull forms from the dark tangle. The light coming through at the top feels like a theatrical spotlight. The hat in the lower left of the image is a sign of human presence, perhaps suggesting a person who is resting or has moved on? There is an intimacy in this small work, that mirrors our own interaction with it – we have to lean in close, peering and searching to uncover the image. Like a lot of art, Bomen in het oerwoud embraces a process of discovery. It reminds me of some of the photographic work of Lisette Model, who similarly embraced the accidental. So, in the end, maybe this piece isn't just about trees but about seeing itself, and all the surprising things it shows us, if we look hard enough.