Panorama van de Alpen met de Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn, Eiger en Tschingelhorn 1880 - 1900

This is a photograph titled "Panorama van de Alpen met de Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn, Eiger en Tschingelhorn" by Schroeder & Cie. In the 19th century, landscape photography, such as this alpine vista, was closely tied to European Romanticism and notions of the sublime. But consider how these images played a role in shaping national identity. The Alps, for instance, were not just mountains, but symbols of Swiss identity and resilience. These idealized landscapes often erase the labor and lives of those who inhabited these spaces. Who were the indigenous communities living in these areas? How did the rise of tourism and landscape photography impact their lives and cultures? While we can appreciate the technical skill involved in capturing this panorama, let’s also remember to think about the stories that remain untold, the people and histories obscured by the seemingly objective gaze of the camera.