Mte. Generoso (1703 m), Panorama c. 1900

Curator: This is A. G. Wehrli’s "Mte. Generoso (1703 m), Panorama," a landscape view. It’s quite compact, only about 10 by 28 centimeters, found in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first impression is sheer drama—the sweeping vista is incredible. You feel the height, the grandeur, the stillness. Curator: Wehrli's panorama speaks to the rise of tourism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Such views were highly sought after as keepsakes, mementos of grand tours. Editor: It's interesting to consider how the photographic image democratized that experience. Suddenly, everyone could own a piece of the sublime, even from afar. I wonder what Wehrli would think of our selfies today? Curator: I am sure that he'd be very pleased to see how the perspective and accessibility of his art has been advanced. Editor: I think the way it gives you a sense of time and place is really compelling.