Grasveld met bomen en op de achtergrond de Alpen c. 1860 - 1880

Achille Quinet captured this stereo photograph of a ‘Grasveld met bomen en op de achtergrond de Alpen’ around the late 19th century. The foreground is dominated by a grassy field and trees, the background showing a distant view of the Alps. The Alps, acting as a natural barrier, have, over centuries, been seen as a divine sanctuary, a representation of untamed, sublime nature, inspiring awe and reflection. This reverence for mountains isn't new. Think of Mount Olympus in Greek mythology, the dwelling of the gods, or even the biblical Mount Sinai, a space of divine revelation. Quinet's choice to position the Alps in the background taps into this reservoir of cultural memory, invoking emotions of longing and spiritual contemplation. The photograph, therefore, transcends the simple depiction of a landscape. Instead, it speaks to a deep, subconscious connection between nature, spirituality, and the human soul.