Palmbomen en cactussen in de Orto botanico in Palermo 1856 - 1914

Giuseppe Incorpora made this photograph, "Palmbomen en cactussen in de Orto botanico in Palermo," using a camera and photographic paper. The image presents a botanic garden in sepia tones, where the structural arrangement of plants creates a play of light and shadow. Incorpora's composition emphasizes the dense, almost overwhelming, texture of the foliage. The palm fronds, with their radiating lines, are set against the spiky forms of cacti, creating contrasts in shape and texture. The image challenges traditional notions of landscape photography by focusing on the formal qualities of the botanical forms rather than a picturesque scene. It invites a semiotic reading, where the plants act as signs of exoticism and the photographer's formal choices reflect a structural investigation into natural forms. The interplay between the geometric and organic could be interpreted as an early exploration of abstraction within the photographic medium.