Weg naar Kebayakan 1903 - 1913

This photograph, "Weg naar Kebayakan," probably taken sometime in the past, shows a landscape filled with homes, a distant mountain, and a cart procession. The whole scene is rendered in muted monochrome tones, which makes the image feel very removed from us in time, but also opens it up to new possibilities. Look how the anonymous artist uses these gradations of grey to define the grassy area in the foreground. The texture created feels almost painterly, like a gestural abstract painting. The light is soft and diffused, creating a hazy atmosphere. There’s a real sense of depth in the way the land rises and falls, drawing us into the scene. The composition reminds me a little of some of the landscape paintings of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, there's a similar panoramic perspective. However, instead of Bruegel's vibrant colors and bustling scenes, here we find a quiet stillness. With photographs like this we can allow ourselves to think about the journey to the new, to the unknown and how we have always looked at the landscape and the sky above us with wonder.