Archeologische opgravingen in Hongarije 1928

This is a photograph taken by Jan Lanting, called 'Archeological Dig in Hungary.' What strikes me is the total lack of glamour. Photography always has this dual nature, right? It's about revelation, but also about obscuring. This photo is mostly shades of gray and brown. It isn't interested in presenting an idealized scene. It feels almost scientific, matter of fact. What I see here is not an event, but process. The textures are so varied, from the smooth, wet mud to the rough clods of earth. There’s a vulnerability to the scene. The earth has been opened, but it’s such a humble space. It makes me think of Eugène Atget, a similar interest in the poetics of mundane subject matter, and art as a way of documenting the transient nature of experience. It’s a subtle picture with a lot going on. What do you think?