Gezicht op de vallei van Chamonix c. 1860 - 1880

Ernest Eléonor Pierre Lamy captured this stereo card of the Chamonix valley in a moment of profound transformation. The image is from a time when Switzerland and Savoy were becoming tourist destinations. It catered to a growing fascination with landscapes among the middle class. Note the lone figure by the water’s edge; the person’s presence invites contemplation on the relationship between humanity and nature. There is a tension between the sublime beauty of the mountains and the suggestion of human impact on the land. This tension speaks to broader questions about identity, place, and belonging. How do we position ourselves within landscapes that are both awe-inspiring and vulnerable? How do our actions as individuals and as a society shape the world around us, and in turn, how does the world shape us? This stereo card then, is not just a picture of a place, it is an invitation to reflect on our place within it.