View down Black Cañon, from Mirror Bar 1871

Editor: This is Timothy O'Sullivan's "View down Black Cañon, from Mirror Bar," taken sometime around 1871. It's a stereograph, so the canyon seems to pop out! The sheer scale of the rock faces reflecting in the water is pretty awe-inspiring. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, O'Sullivan. He had an eye for the sublime, didn't he? I always feel a sense of hushed reverence when looking at this image. It’s as if the earth itself is exhaling. Do you notice the figures in the distance? Editor: Barely! They look so small. Curator: Exactly! O'Sullivan is playing with scale, emphasizing the vastness of the American West, almost daring us to consider our place within it. Editor: That’s a powerful way to look at it. I was so focused on the pretty reflections. Curator: And those reflections are part of the story too, inviting introspection. I leave this image with a sense of both awe and humility.