Mannen op kamelen met op de achtergrond piramides in Egypte before 1905

This old photograph, "Mannen op kamelen met op de achtergrond piramides in Egypte," is an image where the artist is unknown and it feels like stumbling upon a visual memory. The sepia tones give a timeless quality, like it's been baking in the sun for centuries. Looking at the way the pyramids are rendered, they seem almost soft, not as imposing as you'd expect, and it makes you wonder about the photographer’s process and choices. The palm trees and the camels are full of small details, which really bring life to the scene. There is a particular camel in the foreground, whose shadow stretches out in front of it, and it's like the image is asking us to slow down and consider the many layers of history embedded in this place, as it relates to the present moment. It reminds me a little of some of Ed Ruscha's black and white photographs, in that the artist uses a mundane and slightly detached approach to capture something profound about the landscape. The anonymity allows for multiple interpretations and a sense of timelessness.