Forêt de Roumare bij Rouen met links van het midden de dikke beuk (Gros Hêtre) van Montigny 1896

This photograph by Delizy captures the Forêt de Roumare near Rouen, featuring the Gros Hêtre of Montigny, and is held at the Rijksmuseum. The sepia tones of the photograph and the composition, defined by the contrast between the monumental beech and the slender trees, evoke a sense of nostalgic contemplation. The composition hinges on a play of contrasting forms. The robust, solitary beech tree on the left opposes the vertical thrust of the thinner trees on the right. The open space in the foreground leads the eye into the wooded depths, constructing a narrative of passage and exploration. The photograph, though seemingly straightforward, engages with the semiotics of landscape. It destabilizes the traditional picturesque by focusing on the structural elements. Delizy does not merely represent nature, but presents it as a carefully constructed tableau, inviting us to decode its underlying order and contemplate the themes of nature, time, and representation.