Gezicht op Monistrol-d'Allier met op de voorgrond een deels drooggevallen rivier 1902

This photograph, “Gezicht op Monistrol-d'Allier met op de voorgrond een deels drooggevallen rivier”, captures a landscape through soft gradations of tone. It's all about process; photography itself is a process of capturing light. What I love is how the physical stuff of the world is represented here. The gritty texture of the mountains, the way the water seems to be both there and not there, it’s all evoked through a limited tonal range. Look at the detail around the buildings, you can almost feel the rocky texture and the shapes make me think of the work of Cezanne. It’s not just about seeing; it’s about feeling the landscape. The eye travels between the dark water and the light banks in the foreground and is drawn back to the cluster of buildings on the left. This image reminds me a little of some of the landscape photography of Gustave Le Gray. There’s a shared interest in capturing the atmosphere of a place, not just its visual appearance. Art isn't about answers, but about different ways to see and feel.