Primeval Forests 1937 - 1938

Jaromír Funke made this photograph, Primeval Forests, and it’s a reminder that art isn't just about what's in front of the lens, but how you frame it. Funke's play here is with texture, those layers of bark and leaves rendered in tones of grey and brown. The darkroom work is visible in the image, the photographic processes are allowed to become visible and tangible. He's letting the texture become the subject, making this forest not just a place, but a thing, a tactile experience. Look at the lower section of the image, where the fallen trunk dominates, covered in details, the way light catches on every surface. It’s almost like he’s asking, what does it mean to see? The framing is so tight, you might even say confrontational. It’s less a window and more a wall. Think of Karl Blossfeldt, who, like Funke, made stark, close-up images of plants. Both invite us to look again. It shows how photography, like any art, is just a conversation.