Gezicht op Kapitool en omgeving te Timgad Possibly 1927

This is a black and white photograph of the Capitool in Timgad and its surroundings, by A.G.A. van Eelde. The tones are nicely arranged, the light values sitting at the top of the frame, the darker ones at the bottom, creating a shallow depth of field. I like how the eye is invited to wander, the perspective not fixed but loose, almost impressionistic. The material aspect here is the silvery gelatin print. It gives the picture a certain kind of feel, with its range of greys and whites. Look at how the marks in the landscape create a sense of place, like a dance across the surface. The way the artist handled the light is almost like a sketch, and it makes me think of Cy Twombly. Ultimately, art is about embracing the unknown, and this photograph invites us to do just that.