Freesmachine 1919 - 1921

This photograph titled Freesmachine was made by an anonymous artist. It's a small thing, really, only about 20cm tall, but the subject, a milling machine, is monumental. The sepia tones flatten the space, and every object is rendered with the same degree of attention, which gives the composition a democratic feel, blurring the distinction between foreground and background. I keep thinking about how photographs capture a moment in time, but this image, with its soft focus and muted palette, feels timeless. Look at the way the light catches the edges of the machine, and you see the subtle shifts in tone, the range of shadows. It reminds me of some of Bernd and Hilla Becher's typologies, in that it is both a document and a study of form. It embraces ambiguity over definitive meaning.