Boomstammen in een veld before 1901

This photograph of tree trunks in a field was made by Hauptmann A. Böhmer around the turn of the century. It’s printed on the pages of a book, so the marks are photographic, alchemical, almost like paint! Look at the surface. This is a gelatin silver print, so we get these beautifully modulated grays, with highlights and shadows that feel almost painterly. The tones blend like watercolor washes, the light really makes you feel like you’re there. Notice the textures, the rough bark of the trees against the flat, open field. It’s interesting to think about how a photograph is built up of tiny particles, almost like pixels but analog! It’s not quite realism, the image is made of so many abstract shades and tones, but the process feels like a collaboration with nature. Think about the German artist, August Sander, who documented people with such care and attention. This photograph is like that, a portrait of trees, a very simple subject handled with great sensitivity. It’s so beautifully done, it transcends time.