Corallorrhiza maculata- Spotted Coral Root 1931

Edwin Hale Lincoln created this platinum print of a spotted coral root. Lincoln was part of a movement of photographers at the turn of the 20th century who embraced photography as a fine art. His choice to photograph this parasitic plant, devoid of chlorophyll, raises questions about traditional notions of beauty and vitality. Consider the cultural context of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time marked by rapid industrialization and urbanization. Perhaps Lincoln was interested in an alternative narrative, one that celebrated the beauty of the overlooked and the resilience of life in unexpected forms. The spotted coral root, in its unique form, challenges our understanding of survival and adaptation. How does the photograph invite us to reconsider our relationship with the natural world and our own place within it?