Owasco Lake, Ensenore Glen House c. 1895

This photograph, by William H. Rau, captures Owasco Lake's Ensenore Glen House. The muted tones create a sense of temporal distance, but it's the composition that truly commands attention. The building itself is rigidly structured, a series of stacked horizontal lines softened by the surrounding, uncontrolled, natural forms. We can see a tension between geometric precision and organic sprawl. The railway tracks act as strong horizontal lines which bisect the composition. Notice how the photograph is essentially divided into geometric shapes and organic masses. It's a study in contrasts, suggesting perhaps a deeper commentary on the relationship between human construction and the natural world. This relationship between formal and informal, order and chaos, invites us to question the very nature of progress and our place within the landscape. This photograph isn't just an image; it's a statement of form, and a meditation on space.