Strassburger monument in Bazel 1900 - 1940

This photographic print, an anonymous work, captures the Strassburger monument in Basel. It’s like seeing double, isn’t it? This almost ghostly rendering makes me think about the ways we perceive, how multiple viewpoints can construct a sense of depth, but also distance. The grayscale palette emphasizes form and texture; look at how the light catches the folds of the figures' garments. The way light reflects in a photograph can be so different to the way paint is built up on a canvas, but in both cases you can tell so much about the source! Notice how the photographer has captured the smooth surfaces of the monument, contrasted with the jagged shapes of the trees behind? In a way, this print reminds me of early photorealist painters like Gerhard Richter, who used photography as a basis for their paintings, creating layers of blur and ambiguity. It is a reminder that art, in all its forms, is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time and media.