To bij woudreus op Tourtonne 1903 - 1910

Hendrik Doijer made this image, To bij woudreus op Tourtonne, using a photographic process that yields a dreamy, cyan-blue palette. The whole thing has this soft-focus, almost hazy feel, which makes me think about how we use art to explore different ways of seeing the world. I love how the monochromatic palette and the photographic process create a sense of depth. The textures of the leaves and the bark of the tree are really brought out. I love the way the light filters through the leaves; it's like the whole scene is breathing. The woman in the picture looks like she is standing right in front of the tree, but she is small in comparison to the vastness of nature. It reminds me of some of Caspar David Friedrich's landscapes, where figures are dwarfed by the sublime power of nature. It's the kind of piece that invites you to get lost in its details, to let your mind wander and find your own way through its layers. Art's not about answers, right? It's about the questions we ask along the way.