Farm wife lives on the Great Plains. Nebraska 1940

Dorothea Lange made this photograph, *Farm wife lives on the Great Plains. Nebraska*, at an unknown date. The image is a study in contrasts, light and shadow, rough and smooth. The woman in the picture is positioned at a slight angle, which gives you this feeling that you’ve just walked in. Her patterned dress feels soft against the rigid chair she's sitting on, creating a physical tension that mirrors the emotional undercurrent of the piece. Look at her hands, see the lines and shadows that tells the story of years spent working the land? The surface of the print is smooth, almost polished, yet it captures so much texture in her face and clothing. It’s like Lange took the grit of the plains and transformed it into something delicate. This reminds me a bit of some of the portrait work of Alice Neel. In both artists’ work, they invite us to meet people where they are, without flinching. It's a powerful thing.