Gezicht op de Mer-de-Glace c. 1850 - 1880

Editor: Here we have Florentin Charnaux's gelatin-silver print, "Gezicht op de Mer-de-Glace," likely created sometime between 1850 and 1880. It strikes me as a scene of awe-inspiring yet stark beauty. What's your take on this formidable landscape? Curator: It whisks me away to that icy expanse, doesn't it? The way the photographer captured the light on the glacier, the stark contrast with the dark trees, almost hums with the Romantics' love of the sublime. Do you get that sense of being simultaneously drawn in and dwarfed by the sheer power of nature? Editor: Absolutely! I think the use of the gelatin-silver print really adds to that feeling with its stark contrasts and clarity. The detail in the ice is amazing. But do you think this focus on beauty maybe glosses over some of the dangers present in such a landscape? Curator: That's an insightful point! Perhaps. But beauty and danger often danced together in the Romantic imagination. It’s that delicious frisson, that feeling of being on the edge. Also, keep in mind that photography, even then, had an element of performance. One had to choose carefully where to place the camera, frame the world in a certain light. Did Charnaux *want* to highlight the sublime rather than the risk? Editor: I guess that makes sense. Framing the narrative in a specific way for viewers to respond in certain ways. So it's not just capturing the moment, it's also crafting it. I learned a lot about Romanticism’s sublime through the photographic gaze! Curator: Me too! I can’t help wondering what Charnaux would make of our contemporary view of glaciers, understanding their fragility. Food for thought, indeed.