40 Fotos, page 7 1946

Here, in a photograph by Robert Frank, we see a stark arrangement of stacked logs, their circular forms dominating the composition. These cross-sections expose the life rings of trees, each line a marker of time, growth, and history, much like the lines on a human hand or face. The circle is one of the oldest symbols we know, appearing in rock carvings, mandalas, and the rose windows of Gothic cathedrals, representing cycles, completion, and eternity. In this image, the concentric rings draw the eye inward, evoking a sense of introspection. Consider the serpent Ouroboros, found in ancient Egyptian and Greek imagery, endlessly consuming its own tail. Its cyclical form mirrors that of the tree rings. Both speak to the eternal return, a concept deeply embedded in our collective unconscious. The emotional resonance of this image lies in its quiet contemplation of time, life, and the enduring patterns that connect us to nature and the past.