Microscoopopname van tarwestro before 1892

This photomicrograph of wheat straw sections, magnified in diameter, was made by Robert W. Dunham. The image is an early example of how photography, combined with microscopy, could reveal hidden structures. The material at hand here is wheat, of course – one of the most significant crops in human history. We can see the cellular structure of the straw, the very stuff that remains after the grain has been harvested. Dunham's technique allows us to see the straw’s intricate composition, which is usually invisible to the naked eye. We can consider the labor involved in its production – from the planting and harvesting to the microscopic analysis. This work challenges our understanding of the relationship between agriculture, science, and art. By magnifying something so ordinary, Dunham elevated it to a subject of scientific and aesthetic interest, blurring the lines between the functional and the beautiful.