Bicclescombe Park c. 1900 - 1920

Phillipse and Lees made this photograph of Bicclescombe Park, and the monochromatic palette is a study in process and tone. The way the water cascades over the weir, almost blurring into a soft, hazy mist, speaks to the artists' handling of light and shadow. The texture is smooth, with subtle gradations creating depth, and my eye is drawn to the contrast between the stillness of the pond and the dynamic flow of the water. It's that balance – the quiet versus the rush – that makes the image so compelling. There's a sense of fleeting time captured in this image, reminiscent of what motivates someone like Gerhard Richter, in the way that a photograph can give us an impression of a landscape that is so dependent on the precise conditions in which it was captured. I always find that fascinating.