Country Doctor
The eye of
his camera in
timeless juxtapose
finds the meaning
of the life
we live..
two children
emerging from a
dark forest place
find a lighted
garden of discovery..
A country doctor
braces from wind
rendering service to
those caught in
that same forest..
his wish to
rescue childhood
which now weighs
distant and dim...
For his groundbreaking 1948 LIFE magazine photo essay, “Country Doctor” photographer W. Eugene Smith spent 23 days in Kremmling, Colorado, chronicling the day-to-day challenges faced by an indefatigable general practitioner named Dr. Ernest Ceriani.
“Country Doctor” was an instant classic when first published, establishing Smith as a master of the uniquely commanding young art form of the photo essay, and solidifying his stature as one of the most passionate and influential photojournalists of the 20th century.