Paarden en een tent in heuvelachtig landschap, Noorwegen 1893 - 1923

Editor: Here we have an intriguing gelatin-silver print, “Paarden en een tent in heuvelachtig landschap, Noorwegen” – Horses and a Tent in a Hilly Landscape, Norway – made sometime between 1893 and 1923 by an anonymous artist. The stark monochrome and composition of this almost faded image, evoke a sense of stark beauty to me. How do you interpret the visual dynamics at play in this composition? Curator: Indeed, the strength here resides within its formal relationships. Note how the placement of the tent creates a distinct contrast against the blurred distant mountains. It is the stark white geometric form amid the organic landscape and its value as an eye-stopping element within the visual space. Editor: That's fascinating, the sharp contrast does pull you in. What about the animals? Curator: Yes, they are of secondary importance structurally speaking, but no less vital, the artist deliberately positions the cluster of animals, adding an element of balance that prevents the white of the tent from becoming overwhelming. The contrast of their dark shapes gives them structural weight within the frame. It also works horizontally connecting all elements together and emphasizing the landscape itself as a connecting value. Editor: I see it now. It’s interesting to think about how formal elements create balance within an image even one as seemingly simple as this. Thanks. Curator: You're welcome. Notice how the materiality of photography, gelatin on silver, in its aging imperfections, brings unique textures and tone creating the work’s final state which carries a kind of nostalgic narrative power.