Kerk met kerkhof (enclos paroissial) te Saint-Thégonnec 1901

This weathered photograph captures the parish close at Saint-Thégonnec, snapped by Delizy, though we don’t know when. It's sepia, so the hues are muted browns and creams, like an old memory, or a dream half-forgotten. The surface is smooth, and that makes me think of the way the light must have played on the stone buildings and the calvary. There’s a softness, an embrace that softens everything. See the texture in the stone carvings? You can almost feel the cool touch of the stone. The monument is so detailed; it gives you the impression the image has captured life frozen in time. What kind of lens allowed Delizy to create such clear edges around the buildings? It is a mysterious and beautiful piece that invites contemplation. Thinking about Delizy’s technique makes me reflect on Eugène Atget, who documented the streets of Paris with similar affection and a keen eye for the poetry of everyday life. It is a conversation, each artist speaking to us across time.