Landweg met ossenkar en boeren, vermoedelijk in Spaans Baskenland 1904

This small photograph, likely taken in the Spanish Basque country, captures a moment in time. Delizy seems to be interested in the effects of light, the way it throws the rocks into stark relief. I’m drawn to the rough texture of the landscape. Look closely at the rocks – they seem almost sculpted, rising sharply from the road. There’s a real sense of volume, of weight. The rest is caught in a kind of in-between state, not quite defined, but suggestive. The figures feel like they are emerging from the light. The oxen, cart and the people working alongside are caught in a dance, not moving very fast, but with a sense of determination to make their way in the landscape. This photograph reminds me of some of the early landscape painters, like Courbet, in that the artist looks to paint the world as it is, without idealisation. But unlike painting, the surface is smooth, which gives the scene a directness and honesty. Photography shares this characteristic with drawing – the direct translation of an idea into form.