The Sangre de Cristo from Marshall Pass c. 1870s

Curator: This is William Henry Jackson’s photograph, "The Sangre de Cristo from Marshall Pass." Look at the textures. It feels like a charcoal drawing. Editor: It’s eerily beautiful, isn’t it? A bit desolate too. I think that, in the context of westward expansion, this image romanticizes the violent displacement of indigenous peoples, framing it as an empty landscape ready for the taking. Curator: Jackson was commissioned by the railroads to document the West, right? This photograph does seem to reinforce the idea of an untamed wilderness, ignoring the existing communities. Editor: Exactly. The composition, while visually striking, serves to legitimize colonial narratives. The light almost sanctifies the landscape. Curator: It makes you wonder about the ethics of representation. Editor: Indeed. It’s a complicated image, aesthetically pleasing but politically charged.