Spiranthes Romanzoffiana- Hooded Ladies' Tresses 1931

Edwin Hale Lincoln made this photogravure titled *Spiranthes Romanzoffiana - Hooded Ladies' Tresses*. It’s one of those images where the process is laid bare, and the hand of the artist is evident, even though it's a photograph. Look at the stems, how they rise and intersect, creating a rhythm, the image is not just a record, but an arrangement. The tonal range here is so subtle and close, but look at the way the flowers are rendered, the light catching on those tiny, hooded blossoms. It's almost sculptural, which seems counterintuitive for a photo, but there you go! Photography, like painting, is an act of selection and interpretation. This makes me think of Karl Blossfeldt's photographs of plants; both he and Lincoln share this interest in revealing the hidden structures of nature. Ultimately, art is about seeing the world in new ways, and inviting others to see it too. There is no single, correct interpretation.