Plant op een balkon 1907 - 1930

Adolphe Burdet made this image, *Plant op een balkon*, as a photographic slide, but the way the light filters and the cool hues make it seem like a painting. I love the texture here, how the bougainvillea spills towards us, a soft lavender cloud. Burdet captured the plant on what looks like a balcony, the balustrade is in focus, with the background of trees just out of focus, the transition feels so gentle. You can see where the photographic emulsion has chipped away in the top left corner of the slide. I see these imperfections as adding to the texture and depth, another layer of the image’s history and transformation over time. Looking at the way that the light falls, I'm reminded of Vuillard, who knew how to use colour and shade to bring a feeling of intimacy to the most ordinary subject. The slide invites us to pause and notice the subtle beauty around us.