Landscape Number 99 c. 19th century

Curator: Alexandre Calame, born in 1810, asks us to reflect with "Landscape Number 99," currently housed in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's brooding, isn't it? Full of somber tones... almost like a storm is brewing just out of sight. Curator: The Romantic spirit is certainly palpable. Note how Calame contrasts the rugged foreground with the serene, almost idealized, mountains in the distance. Editor: That stark division is fascinating. It's as if he's saying nature is both refuge and obstacle. Curator: Indeed. And perhaps a mirror to our own internal landscapes, wouldn't you say? Calame passed away in 1864, leaving behind such works as a legacy. Editor: It truly makes you ponder about the eternal dance between darkness and light. Curator: A perfect note to end on.