Cascata Dell’orco, Detta Scalare, a Noasca 1890

Giuseppe Barberis captured Cascata Dell’orco with precise strokes, likely around the late 19th century. The composition centers on the dramatic descent of the waterfall, its white water sharply contrasting against the dark, textured rocks. The eye is led downwards, tracing the cascade through a rugged landscape. The close, methodical hatching Barberis employs reveals a structured approach to depicting nature's chaos. This technique isn't merely representational; it's a system, a kind of visual code translating organic forms into ordered lines. We see the influence of structuralism here, finding underlying patterns within what appears to be a natural scene. Each stroke is a signifier, collectively forming the signified of the landscape. Barberis, through his formal choices, presents a view of nature mediated and understood through artistic structure. It reflects a broader cultural desire to classify and control the natural world through the systems of art.