Zwarte roodstaart op een paaltje 1915 - 1930

This is a photograph of a bird, made by Richard Tepe, and currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Look at this grayscale photograph, how the bird perches on a post, a worm, perhaps, hanging from its beak. It makes me think about the process, what Tepe saw, and how he chose to capture it. The texture here is really interesting; the soft, blurred background contrasts with the sharpness of the bird and the post. The way the light catches the bird's feathers gives it a velvety feel. Notice how the details of the post lead your eye upwards to the bird, like a little stage. The soft gradations of tone create a sense of depth, a feeling of being there. This photograph reminds me a little of some of the etchings of birds by Whistler. He had a similar knack for capturing a fleeting moment with such precision, yet with such an eye to form and surface. The conversation between the two pieces really speaks to the way the artists bring their own personalities and experiences to their work.