From Thälligrat, Eggisohhorn, Oberland c. 1885

Curator: Looking at this vista, the crisp light feels almost unnerving. Editor: Indeed, the emotional impact is quite immediate. Here we have Vittorio Sella's "From Thälligrat, Eggisohhorn, Oberland," a photographic print held at the Harvard Art Museums. Curator: The composition reminds me of Romantic-era landscape painting, particularly in how it presents nature as both sublime and indifferent to human concerns. Editor: Absolutely, the high vantage point diminishes any sense of human presence. The glacier itself becomes a potent symbol, suggesting both the relentless power of nature and its fragility. I see themes of transience and timelessness. Curator: I'd also consider the historical context, as the growth of mountain tourism and exploration was changing the cultural meaning of places like this. Editor: A crucial point. The symbolic value of the glacier is inseparable from that moment of exploration. I am struck by the glacial form, a kind of memento mori. Curator: It really challenges us to consider our relationship with the natural world.