Drie vrouwen op een heuvel before 1901

This black and white photograph by Paul Mühsam, titled "Drie vrouwen op een heuvel", presents a quiet, almost dreamlike scene. The soft grayscale suggests a kind of seeing that's less about sharp details and more about the atmosphere and tone, which really resonates with me as an artist because it feels like you're seeing a memory, not a landscape. The photograph, with its velvety blacks and hazy whites, makes the texture of the paper part of the art. I love the way Mühsam uses the natural light to create a sense of depth and mystery, especially how the figures are silhouetted against the horizon. The blurry figures create a sense of timelessness, as if this moment could be from any era. Mühsam's photograph reminds me of the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich, who also sought to capture the sublime power of nature, although his style is very different. Both artists share a romantic sensibility, inviting us to contemplate the fragile beauty of the world around us.