Man op een landweg in de sneeuw, met op de achtergrond een huis 1902 - 1903

This photograph, "Man on a Country Road in the Snow, with a House in the Background," was taken by Gunnar Malmberg, we're not sure when. It looks like it was made with whatever was at hand. Look at how the snow is rendered, not as a flat plane, but as a series of marks, gestures even. The artist is feeling their way through the landscape with the camera. You can see it's not just about recording a scene, but also about the process of observing and interpreting. The tonality is soft and muted, all greys and whites, with the dark figure of the man providing a focal point. It’s a very quiet piece; the surface texture is rough. I’m reminded of Vilhelm Hammershoi, with his muted palettes and similar sense of stillness. It embraces ambiguity, doesn't it? More than just a picture, it's a reflection on what it means to see and be seen.