Holding the line near Dickebush before our final assault on Messines Ridge, June 7th, 1917 Possibly 1917

This stereograph, "Holding the line near Dickebush before our final assault on Messines Ridge," was made by Realistic Travels in June 1917. Look at how the black and white tones create a world of stark contrasts, like a drawing made with a very hard pencil. I find myself drawn to the way the trenches are rendered, deep and etched into the earth. The texture of the dirt looks almost palpable. You can practically feel the grit between your fingers. Consider the weight of that fallen tree, suspended precariously above the scene, a symbol, perhaps, of the fragility of life in wartime. And those two figures, seated as if in contemplation, but are they? Are they strategizing? Or just trying to find a moment's peace amidst the chaos? The photographic process used here reminds me a little of Alfred Stieglitz, capturing the essence of a moment with such raw intensity. But where Stieglitz sought to elevate photography to the level of fine art, here, the intention feels more documentary, yet equally emotive. It is a conversation across time, a testament to the enduring power of images to speak volumes.