A Stiff Pull 1880s

Peter Henry Emerson made this photograph, entitled "A Stiff Pull," using a platinum printing process, which gives the image its distinctive tonal range and delicate surface. Emerson championed photography as an art form, distinct from painting, with its own unique qualities and aesthetics. The image depicts a farmer and team of horses working the land. Notice the rich textures of the soil, the muscular forms of the horses, and the farmer’s stooped posture. The image speaks to the labor involved in agricultural work, the close relationship between humans and animals, and the rhythms of rural life. Emerson was interested in capturing authentic scenes of the English countryside, documenting the lives and work of rural communities. Through the materiality of photography, and the social context it captures, "A Stiff Pull" invites us to consider the value of labor, the beauty of the natural world, and the interconnectedness of human and non-human actors.