Güssfeldt Sattel, Piz Roseg, La Salla (at right), The Engadine 1921

Curator: This is A. G. Wehrli’s photograph, “Güssfeldt Sattel, Piz Roseg, La Salla (at right), The Engadine,” held at the Harvard Art Museums. I find myself deeply moved by it. Editor: It is rather bleak, isn't it? The sharp contrast between the rock and the snow is quite striking, a sort of dramatic juxtaposition. Curator: Bleak, perhaps, but I see the sublime. The tiny figures against the vast mountain—it speaks to human insignificance, yet also our audacity to explore. Editor: The composition definitely emphasizes that. The climbers are placed deliberately at the edge, emphasizing the scale of the landscape. The stark tonal range creates depth. Curator: Exactly! It is a reminder of nature's indifferent power, and how we find ourselves humbled by it, challenged and inspired at once. Editor: Well, it certainly is an austere, almost monumental image. I find it difficult to look away, regardless. Curator: Indeed, it stays with you.