Nature's Jewels c. 1916

J.H. Field made this photograph, Nature's Jewels, date unknown. The muted sepia tones, like a memory, give the image a timeless quality. I like how Field used the camera almost like a brush, coaxing out delicate lines from the captured light. The gossamer web, dusted with dewdrops, is the star. It's as if Field wanted to trap a fleeting moment, a web of intricate beauty against a soft, blurred background. Look at the way the light catches the tiny droplets, turning them into sparkling gems. There’s a real tension between the fragility of the web and the robust thorns in the upper left. It reminds me of the precariousness of art-making itself. Field’s work sits well with that of people like Anna Atkins, another artist who brought a unique sensibility to the making of early photography. There’s something beautifully ambiguous about the image, leaving space for our imagination to fill in the gaps.