Gezicht op een begraafplaats nabij Salò before 1903

This photogravure of a cemetery near Salò is by an artist named A. Richter, and without any dates, it feels like it could be from almost any time. The velvety blacks and smoky grays, achieved through a photographic process, give the scene a dreamlike or melancholic quality. Notice how the light seems to emanate from within the image itself, casting soft shadows that blur the boundaries between objects. The eye is drawn to a lighter area where the cemetery wall meets the dark foliage, creating a focal point that is both inviting and slightly unsettling. Look at the dark trees in the middle ground. See how the details are lost in shadow? This kind of reductive approach is a reminder that art is not about perfect representation. The piece reminds me of the prints of Félix Vallotton in its use of black and white to create a sense of mystery and foreboding. Like Vallotton, Richter invites us to contemplate the beauty and fragility of life, using the cemetery as a symbol of both loss and remembrance.