Georgetown, Colorado c. 1873

Editor: William Henry Jackson's photograph, Georgetown, Colorado, shows a town nestled in a valley, dwarfed by enormous mountains. What strikes me is the contrast between the seemingly untouched landscape and the very clear presence of human settlement. What do you see in this image? Curator: It’s a powerful visual statement about expansion, isn’t it? Jackson's work was often commissioned to promote westward expansion. This image, while seemingly a neutral landscape, implicitly celebrates the conquest and development of the American West. Editor: So, it's more than just a pretty landscape. It's a political statement too? Curator: Absolutely. Consider who was seeing this image and what narratives it supported. It's a document of a specific historical moment and a visualization of Manifest Destiny. I wonder what the indigenous people thought? Editor: I hadn't considered it that way before. Thanks for opening my eyes. Curator: It is just another piece of evidence in the historical narrative, easily misinterpretable on its own.