From the Fallerhorn, Alagna c. 1885

Curator: Vittorio Sella's black and white photograph, "From the Fallerhorn, Alagna," captures the formidable mountain range. What's your initial reaction? Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by a sense of overwhelming power, a sublime feeling of nature's dominance. It’s brooding, almost ominous. Curator: Sella's photographs were often made using cumbersome large-format cameras, requiring extensive planning and physical labor in harsh conditions. The materiality of this print, the paper and chemical processes involved, speak to a commitment beyond mere image-making. Editor: And the clouds swirling around the peaks seem to hint at a greater, almost divine presence. Mountains have always served as potent symbols of transcendence, haven't they? Curator: Indeed. But let's not forget the labor involved in capturing this image, the material realities of mountain photography at the time, the challenge of transporting heavy equipment. Editor: True, but those shadows and the way the light catches the snow, it’s almost like witnessing the Earth's primal forces at play. Sella is capturing a timeless essence. Curator: The image's surface, though, reveals the very human effort to represent that essence, that transcendence. Editor: An interesting point. Ultimately, both the symbolism and the process contribute to its enduring impact. Curator: Precisely, and both reflect Sella's dedication to capturing the material world.