Tak met wilgekatjes c. 1900 - 1930

Richard Tepe made this photographic print of pussy willows with an unknown process. It’s a small window into the natural world, a kind of tonal study in beiges, browns, greys and creams. I imagine Tepe hunched over his equipment, coaxing the image into existence, balancing light and shadow. The detail of those fuzzy little catkins is just gorgeous. It must have been a real dance to capture that texture, that softness, with the technology available to him at the time. It reminds me a little of Karl Blossfeldt’s plant studies, but with a gentler, more intimate feel. It’s less scientific, more like a quiet meditation on the beauty of the everyday. I love the way these artists were in dialogue with each other, pushing the boundaries of what photography could do. It's a reminder that art-making is an ongoing conversation, a beautiful exchange of ideas across time.