Gezicht op de berg Fuji te Japan before 1892

This is William Kinnimond Burton's photograph of Mount Fuji, printed in a book. The black and white image emphasizes the mountain’s stark silhouette. The composition divides the scene into distinct horizontal bands—the foreground with trees, the rolling hills, and then Fuji itself. Burton plays with tonal contrasts, from the deep shadows of the trees to the soft gradations of the mountain. The texture of the photograph gives a sense of depth and distance, creating a visual hierarchy where Mount Fuji dominates. This photograph is less about capturing a specific moment and more about constructing a symbolic landscape. The formal qualities—the stark contrasts and layered composition—evoke themes of nature, spirituality, and the sublime. The photograph invites viewers to meditate on the relationship between the earthly and the transcendent, as embodied in the iconic form of Mount Fuji.