Rochers sur le Cimon de la Pala c. 1880

Editor: This photograph, "Rochers sur le Cimon de la Pala" by Vittorio Sella, presents a stark, mountainous landscape. It feels incredibly solid and heavy. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Sella’s choice of the photographic medium speaks volumes. Consider the materiality of the print itself – the specific paper, the developing process. These choices emphasize a direct, almost indexical relationship to the mountain, turning its imposing form into a commodity, an object of consumption. Editor: Consumption? Curator: The romantic ideal of the sublime is, in a way, consumed by the viewer. The photograph flattens the mountain, making it portable and reproducible. What does that say about our relationship to nature and labor? Editor: It's interesting to think about the mountain as both a physical place and a mediated experience. Thanks! Curator: Exactly. It changes how we view not just the image but the entire mountain landscape.