Gezicht op de Daubensee in de Gemmi Pass before 1893

This photograph of the Daubensee in the Gemmi Pass, Switzerland, was created by Brunner & Hauser, though we don’t know exactly when. It depicts the Swiss Alps with a low horizon line, thus making the mountain seem tall, and the fog and clouds low. The image makes use of a pictorial language which romanticizes nature. The Swiss Alps have long been an iconic part of Switzerland's geography and culture. The mountains have been used in all kinds of marketing materials, travel brochures, and advertisements to promote tourism and the idea of Switzerland as a natural paradise. In the 19th century, the Alps became a symbol of national identity, embodying ideals of freedom, independence, and resilience. In this context, landscape photography became a tool for shaping and reinforcing these cultural narratives. To fully understand the work, you might investigate things like historical tourism, the history of photography, and representations of nature in the 19th century. The image provides a lens through which we can examine how cultural values and social contexts shape our perception and appreciation of the natural world.