Gezicht op de Romsdalshornet in Noorwegen 1891

Curator: What an arresting landscape! The Norwegian mountains loom with such authority. Editor: Yes, there's an undeniable solemnity to it. The grayscale palette enhances the sense of timelessness. But before we dive in, could you tell me a bit about this piece? Curator: Gladly! This gelatin silver print, titled "Gezicht op de Romsdalshornet in Noorwegen," was captured in 1891. It beautifully captures a view of the Romsdalshornet mountain in Norway. Editor: The mountain peak, sharply defined, really dominates. I immediately see that triangular shape as a symbol, maybe of ambition or perhaps aspiration reaching towards a higher plane of existence. It evokes a feeling of reaching toward some grand unknown. What does that mountain represent historically, or even to us now in its context? Curator: I appreciate that reading of the symbolism, and I think there's a more radical conversation to be had here, too. During the late 19th century, landscape photography was often intertwined with national identity and the concept of the sublime. How does the photographer utilize the dramatic landscape to contribute to a sense of Norwegian identity, and does that romanticized perspective serve to obscure any underlying social or political tensions within Norway at the time? I find myself asking whose story of belonging this landscape tells and whose it leaves out. Editor: A valid point! Certainly the "sublime" was a concept historically restricted by class, gender, even nationality. I'm so fixed on the idea of verticality and access implied here: are we included as viewers? If not, who are we watching stand on this vista point? What does it signal about us, our status? Curator: I see your interpretation. I do agree on how it speaks to the positionality of the viewer as something external—someone perhaps striving to become a part of that "we." Perhaps this photograph functions as propaganda and a window onto lived experience for those represented, all at once. Editor: I concur. Thanks for providing me with new avenues for understanding of these loaded artistic expressions. Curator: My pleasure; your ability to extrapolate psychological context has helped me to explore new facets of its symbolism and broader social implications.