Liligua Glacier, a Confluent of Baltoro Glacier near Rdokass, Karakoram c. 1909

Curator: Vittorio Sella's photograph, "Liligua Glacier, a Confluent of Baltoro Glacier near Rdokass, Karakoram," at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a dramatic mountain landscape. Editor: It feels so imposing, doesn’t it? There's a somber, almost overwhelming sense of scale. It reminds us how small we are. Curator: Sella was renowned for his skill in capturing such vistas; his work was driven by scientific exploration as much as artistic expression. These early landscape images helped shape European perceptions of the Himalayas. Editor: Absolutely. Looking at it now, I can't help but think about glacial retreat and what it signifies. This landscape feels like a powerful, silent witness to climate change. Curator: These expeditions themselves were entwined with colonial ambitions, marking territories and gathering data for empires. Editor: Yes, it is crucial to remember the complicated histories woven into these images. It is not just about appreciating the beauty of the glacier but thinking about the impact of such endeavors, both then and now. Curator: Indeed. It's a visual record embedded within layers of social and political history. Editor: Something to keep in mind as we continue to reckon with the legacies of exploration and environmental change.