Gezicht op een beekje en een boom before 1899

This photograph of a stream and tree by R. Michelly is printed within the pages of a book, reminding us of the photograph’s status as a reproducible medium. Without knowing the date, it’s hard to pin down the socio-historical context, but we can think about the pastoral, and the move to the countryside, as offering a respite from modernity, urbanization, and industrialization. Landscape imagery can imply a longing for what is perceived as simpler times. It seems that the image’s value hinges on its composition, which directs our eye in, toward the vanishing point of the stream. What is this image asking us to feel? Does the artist ask that we be soothed? That we reflect? The photograph is not particularly experimental, or even expressive; but it seems to serve as a kind of visual recipe for the viewer, in this case a how-to for creating a peaceful scene.