Gezicht op de Waldsee before 1903

Editor: This is *Gezicht op de Waldsee*— "View of the Waldsee"— by Otto Scharf, made before 1903. It's a photograph. What immediately strikes me is its sort of hazy, dreamlike quality. It's also such a unique vantage point. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, the Waldsee! This is pictorialism at its finest. It aims to make photography look painterly, dissolving details into mood and feeling. Notice how the dark branches frame that silvery, shimmering lake scene like curtains. Scharf’s chosen not to just show us a landscape, but a feeling of being *within* it. Makes you wonder, what sounds were present that day? Can you almost hear the water trickling? Editor: It's almost as if he's trying to evoke a memory rather than just documenting a scene. I’m not sure if I like how soft the landscape gets—sort of a mushy, unclear view of nature to me. Curator: But is clarity always the goal? Pictorialism rebelled against sharp focus. It valued artistic impression above strict realism. That soft focus gives it an ethereal, timeless feel. And for you to not be as impressed or have your mind blown—that’s OK! We don't all experience art in the same ways, and truly great pieces tend to have that kind of effect! What’s nature supposed to be anyway? It’s never the same from any angle or even on different days. Editor: True! I get how it can be trying to suggest a particular experience through the lens, beyond just capturing the lake. Thanks! I'll look for it to expand my definitions of ‘style.’ Curator: Exactly! Keep feeling your way, and let art speak to you in its own way. What an image! What a world!