From the Schreckhorn, Bernese Oberland 1908

Curator: This platinum print, titled "From the Schreckhorn, Bernese Oberland" captures the formidable Swiss Alps through the lens of George Perry Ashley Abraham. The mountain range is imposing. Editor: It certainly conveys a sense of dominance, almost a kind of colonial claiming of space through its sheer mass. I imagine that in 1908, it would have evoked both aspiration and perhaps anxiety about our place in nature. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the laborious process of platinum printing. Each print was a testament to careful chemical manipulation, reflecting a Victorian fascination with material mastery over the natural world. It echoes the broader social context of exploration and scientific advancement. Editor: Yes, the dark rock faces against the gleaming snow draw the eye—a constructed contrast, if you will. It makes one wonder about the resources used, and who had access to such a seemingly inaccessible landscape. Curator: Precisely. The photograph acts as both a record of a place and a social artifact reflecting its time. Editor: It makes me consider the labor of mountaineering itself. Curator: I agree; the image prompts questions about the human interaction with these landscapes and the relationship between photography, ideology, and representation.