Dal in Noors berglandschap 1909

Editor: This is “Dal in Noors berglandschap,” a gelatin silver print photograph taken by Geldolph Adriaan Kessler in 1909. It's quite imposing. I get this powerful, almost melancholic feeling from the deep valley. What stands out to you when you look at it? Curator: You nailed it – "imposing" is perfect! The vastness, that almost tangible atmosphere… For me, it's the light. How Kessler’s managed to capture that diffused, almost ghostly glow on the mountain tops… it feels deeply personal. Do you get a sense of the pictorialist influence blending with the stark realism? Editor: Definitely. There’s this almost dreamlike quality. So, the pictorialist influence softened the realism, perhaps? Curator: Precisely! Think of it as adding a layer of subjective emotion onto a real place. He’s not just documenting Norway; he's inviting you to *feel* it. Imagine being there, in that quiet immensity… It makes you consider your own place in the world. Editor: It does! I was so focused on the scale I hadn't thought of that feeling of solitude, of being a small figure within nature’s immensity. Curator: And isn't that what great art should do? Prompt introspection? Kessler takes this approach further – with a nod to realism—making the inner journey accessible to all. It makes the image more grounded. What do you think? Editor: I agree, It really brings it home. Thanks; I definitely see this photograph with fresh eyes now. Curator: My pleasure! The joy is in the discovery.