Bloeiende tak van een kurkiep c. 1900 - 1930

Richard Tepe made this photograph of a flowering cork elm branch sometime in his life, using paper and probably a camera with a very good lens. The monochromatic palette lends a timeless quality to the image, focusing our attention on the forms themselves. I love the way the light catches the delicate edges of the flowers. The image is full of subtle textures, from the smooth paper to the intricate details of the branch and blossoms. The depth of field is shallow, so some parts are razor sharp and others drift out of focus. Notice the cluster of flowers near the bottom right, each bloom a study in miniature. The way they bunch together reminds me of a small crowd, each individual unique but part of a larger whole. It's not just a record, it's poetry. Tepe’s interest in nature and photography reminds me of Karl Blossfeldt, who used photography to create almost scientific studies of plants. But where Blossfeldt feels austere, Tepe feels romantic. Art is always talking to art.