House, Leaves and Tree 1934

Alfred Stieglitz made this silver print, called *House, Leaves and Tree*, at some point in his career. The way he’s captured this scene, it feels less like a snapshot and more like a still life. Look at the way the light filters through the leaves, creating these delicate shadows. There's a beautiful, quiet energy in the way the textures play off each other—the smooth wood of the house against the wild, untamed foliage. And the way he frames the tree against the backdrop of the house; it's almost like he's inviting us to consider the relationship between the natural and the man-made. I keep coming back to the rocking chair. It suggests a human presence, a moment of quiet contemplation. Stieglitz work has the ability to transform the mundane into something profound. I am reminded of paintings by Edward Hopper in the way the light animates architectural structures.