Gezicht op een man in een roeiboot op Echo Lake before 1878

This stereograph, depicting a man in a rowboat on Echo Lake, was made by the Bierstadt Brothers. The composition is dominated by the stark, mirrored reflections of the lake and surrounding landscape. The choice to present the image in stereograph form encourages an immersive, almost tactile experience. The mirroring effect not only doubles the visual information but also fractures our sense of perspective. The reflections destabilize the boundary between the real and the perceived, questioning the authenticity of what we see. The high contrast of the black and white amplifies this effect, creating a play between light and shadow that obscures depth and spatial orientation. Note how the symmetry of the composition draws our eye to the center, where the small rowboat becomes a focal point amidst the overwhelming landscape. This visual structure invites contemplation about the role of humans within the immensity of nature, a theme that resonates with the sublime aesthetics of the time.