Gezicht op Wadi Maghareh aan de zuidwestkant van Sinaï before 1862

Editor: So, here we have "Gezicht op Wadi Maghareh aan de zuidwestkant van Sinaï," a print – an engraving, really – on paper, created before 1862 by Day & Co. It’s…striking. Almost oppressive, with these massive, jagged mountains looming. It's not just the scale; it's the stark contrast of light and shadow. What jumps out at you when you look at it? Curator: Oppressive is a good word. It's less a picture of a landscape and more an exploration of what it *feels* like to stand at the base of something so ancient and immense. Think about the tradition of the sublime, of nature’s power dwarfing humanity. This engraving fits right in, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. It does evoke that feeling of insignificance. But what's your take on the figures, those tiny silhouettes nestled within the rock face? They seem so…deliberate. Curator: Ah, yes! The figures... little gashes on the landmass. They are tiny humans seeking passage or shelter amidst those towering stones, and Day & Co. is reminding us of both our need for the land and of how fragile that existence really is. Those craggy edges of light feel almost Biblical, a hidden path out of exile. What I find fascinating is the level of detail achieved in such a small space. Did it come off flat or did it give an aura of reality when you first viewed it? Editor: For sure. The reality of the jagged cliffs creates an uncanny perspective; and knowing that this place, this very wadi, actually exists...it's sobering to think about the hands that created the printing block to make this scene available for people around the globe to ponder over. I wonder if they envisioned how far we could travel today... Curator: Maybe they dreamt we might follow those very paths. Regardless, the human capacity to carve out space amidst chaos will carry us onward. Thank you for prompting my reflection here today, that’s why art can often provide a good nudge. Editor: Absolutely! It really brings a new layer to my understanding and pushes my experience onward too.