The Morteratsch Glacier, Upper Engadine Valley, Pontresina 1895

Albert Bierstadt painted this sublime view of the Morteratsch Glacier in the Upper Engadine Valley, capturing the romantic allure of untamed nature. Here, the lone, stark tree, standing lifeless against the backdrop of vibrant life, speaks volumes. This motif, of the bare tree against flourishing nature, has haunted artists across centuries. In medieval allegories, such stark trees symbolized the fall of man, the death of earthly pleasures. Yet, Bierstadt imbues it with a new sense of longing for a nature threatened. It is a memento mori of a landscape in constant flux, reminding us of the ephemerality of nature's grandeur and the passage of time. These images persist, transformed yet recognizable, reflecting our collective fears and desires. Perhaps in contemplating this scene, we confront our own anxieties about mortality and the transient nature of existence.