The Arolla Valley from below the Rousette, Pennine Alps 1908

Editor: Here we have George Perry Ashley Abraham's "The Arolla Valley from below the Rousette, Pennine Alps". It feels very grand, and the stark contrast between light and shadow emphasizes the scale of the mountains. What stands out to you in this image? Curator: I'm struck by how this photograph participates in the romantic idealization of the Alps, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. How does it serve to promote the myth of sublime, untouched wilderness in a rapidly industrializing Europe? Editor: That’s fascinating. It does seem to reinforce the idea of nature as separate from human activity. Curator: Precisely. It's worth questioning who had access to these "untouched" spaces and whose stories were being told. Editor: I never thought about it that way. Thanks for giving me a new perspective!