Looking Down the Kauterskill, from the New Laurel House 1869 - 1900

Looking Down the Kauterskill, from the New Laurel House is a stereograph by Anthony and Company, a popular photography company from the late 19th century. Stereographs like this one were made as a form of entertainment and tourism, allowing people to experience faraway places in an immersive way. This particular image captures the Kauterskill Falls in the Catskill Mountains, a site that became famous through the paintings of the Hudson River School artists. By the time this photograph was made, the area was a well-known tourist destination. It’s interesting to note that while these images promoted the experience of nature, they often did so by framing it through a colonial lens. The presence of a man standing near the falls reminds us that these landscapes were often presented as spaces for white, male exploration and enjoyment. The romanticized view of nature often masked the displacement and erasure of Indigenous people from these lands. As you look at this image, consider the complex relationship between nature, tourism, and representation in the 19th century, and how those dynamics continue to shape our understanding of landscape today.