Giornico in Valle Leventina c. 18th century

Editor: This is Johann Heinrich Meyer's "Giornico in Valle Leventina". It's an etching, and the strong contrast creates a powerful sense of place. What can you tell me about its context? Curator: Meyer’s landscape exists within a complex power dynamic. Consider the gaze: who is this image for? It presents a picturesque view, but also implies a certain control, framing the Swiss landscape for an external audience, likely reinforcing existing colonialist narratives. Editor: Colonialist narratives? That's not something I immediately considered. Curator: How might this idealized representation obscure the realities of the people who lived and worked in this valley, and how might they have been impacted by the very forces that made such picturesque views desirable? Editor: I see your point. It’s a beautiful image, but now I wonder about the untold stories within it. Thanks for giving me a new perspective!