Blootgelegde aardlagen bij archeologische opgravingen in Hongarije 1928

This photograph shows exposed layers of earth at an archeological dig in Hungary, shot by Jan Lanting sometime in the 20th century. It’s a black and white image that lays bare the land’s history, each layer telling a story, much like the strokes in a painting build up to create a whole. The texture here is everything. Look at the rough, uneven surface, the way the light catches the different strata. You can almost feel the grit of the soil, the weight of time pressing down. In the lower right, there's a small pickaxe that the artist has left in the pit. I keep returning to the small pickaxe, it reminds me of a small gesture in a painting, or a passage of colour that draws the eye and anchors the composition. Just as a painter might layer colours to create depth and texture, Lanting captures the earth's own layering process, revealing the palimpsest of time. It reminds me of the work of Agnes Martin, another artist who found profound beauty in simple, repetitive forms. Both artists invite us to slow down, to look closely, and to find meaning in the subtle variations of line and tone.