Voltooide houten brug 1903 - 1913

This photograph shows a wooden bridge, somewhere, sometime, captured by an anonymous photographer. It looks like a very straightforward, almost documentary style image, but it has such beautiful detail. Look at the way the light falls through the dense foliage. The photographer uses a full tonal range, creating depth and texture in the print. The ferns in the foreground are particularly striking, with their dark shadows and complex forms. You can almost feel the humidity of the place. It is an interesting decision to include such rich detail so close to the viewer, perhaps this draws attention to the artifice of the image, or perhaps the photographer was simply drawn to the beauty of the plants in the foreground. It makes me think of some of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who photographed industrial structures in a similarly detached way. Like their work, this image allows for multiple interpretations and invites us to consider the relationship between humans, nature, and the built environment.