Mosbegroeiing 1900 - 1930

Richard Tepe made this photograph, Mosbegroeiing, we don't know exactly when, using a photographic process that reminds me of printmaking because of the tonal range it achieves. It's a dense view of foliage, close up. Look how the light catches the edges of the leaves, giving them a silvery outline. The texture feels almost tangible, like you could reach out and touch the damp earth. What I love about this kind of image is the all-over composition. It's like Tepe got down on his hands and knees to capture the very essence of the forest floor. See the detail in the lower left, how the light shines on the tips of the leaves? It's like a tiny burst of energy amidst the overall calm. This approach of all-over composition reminds me of some of the later landscapes of Gustav Klimt, where the artist almost seems to be swallowed up by the details of the natural world. Art is such an ongoing conversation, isn't it?