Henry

White, Hunford Mill, Surrey, 1855-57

 There are dis=nct themes present in Whites work, in par=cular a celebra=on of the country life which included both agricultural scenes and rural architecture.

 The photograph was taken in the 19th century; a period of the Industrial Revolu=on; a place of over popula=on, child labour and poverty. Many ar=sts wanted to restore and repair the beauty and the design of the everyday objects. Art in the 19th century was interested in the idea of God and the creator, and they presented a composi=on of tranquility, symbolic, poe=c and delicate. His picture serves to divert from the human struggle at the =me.

 When you rst look at the photo it seems very picturesque and idyllic like a place where you would want to go and visit. However once you look deeper in to the image the peacefulness starts to disappear and the photo becomes very uneasy because of all the scaPered leaves in the foreground. The light reected down the middle of the pain=ng almost breaks the pain=ng in half showing the industrial revolu=on against agriculture. The bridge between the two sides of the image almost draws them together. Theres also a sense of mystery about the image because of all the trees surrounding the house almost as if its trying to keep it rooted to the ground instead of being taken away by the industrial revolu=on.

 The photograph is an idyllic depic=on of a mill and stream in the countryside. It is a typical example of the picturesque, an abundance of nature overgrowing and overcoming urban life and troubles. The life and natural abundance is poe=c and is reminiscent of roman=cist art such as fragonards the swing.

 The trees encroach in on the scene in a warm surreal haze. In contrast to this, although the photograph is a form of realism, it is a huge contrast to the realis=c documentary style images of the =me, which oUen discuss the theme of death in urban areas. There is a socio-economic agenda as there has been no point of documen=ng the working class in this rural seVng, but rather a calm serene area to be enjoyed. This links to the decline in agriculture and rise in industrializa=on and more and more upper clss were enjoying the countryside. The photographer was part of this social class and was a lawyer by trade, residing mainly in the ci=es and towns.

 A harmonious composi=on (balanced, symmetrical) manipulated view as this would not be how the actual view would be seen. Natural elements ll the frame-open composi=on- view would go on indenitely. Pictorially the bridge could represent in a painterly way a path between land and sePlement. If this was in fact a pain=ng the disturbance of the water in the foreground would represent social unrest. It is an aesthe=cally pleasing image with a typical (of the =me in art) a fully central horizon. It is also a textured and visually rich , reec=ve of roman=cist art and poetry of the =me. For instance in John Constables The Haywain there are several similari=es.

 The rst impression looks as if it has a democra=c approach as the image has no depth, everything is sharp and In focus. The framing is very =ght which draws your eyes to the centre of the image where the light acts as a pathway that leads your eye to the landscape that lays beyond. The light gives a welcoming aect and doesnt feel threatening, it feels like a comfortable place to be in. The framing and posi=on both play the same part in the image, the lines in the building are very symmetrical which then tangle in with the trees bringing it to life.