This photograph presents a strange still life: a rose pierced with nails is accompanied by a hammer and a pair of scissors, against a background of large, presumably hand-drawn, squares. The combination of a floral motif and various tools evokes the incongruous and surprising juxtapositions so characteristic of Surrealism. In its composition, framing, lighting, and contrasts, this photograph seems to foreshadow the work of later photographers, particularly some of Irving Penn's still lifes.