Gezicht op Lac du Schiessrothried te Metzeral before 1894

Editor: We’re looking at Charles Bernhoeft’s gelatin-silver print, "Gezicht op Lac du Schiessrothried te Metzeral," created before 1894. It’s a landscape, quite somber, with soft focus… almost dreamlike. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: The hazy tonality achieved in this gelatin-silver print is quite evocative. Note the subtle gradations of light and shadow that define the mountains and foreground. Bernhoeft isn’t just capturing a scene; he’s meticulously arranging tones to create a pictorialist effect. The soft focus is significant, disrupting the clarity one expects from photography, pushing it closer to painting. Observe how that contrasts with the sharp lines on the large stone to the left of the image, what would you consider to be the intent behind that decision? Editor: Perhaps it’s a play between the real and the imagined? This one boulder almost looks deliberately etched, compared to the ethereal quality of the overall scene. Does the lone figure add something essential to the composition? Curator: Yes, certainly. The figure provides a sense of scale, but more importantly, they introduce a human element within the vastness of nature. The figure's muted form echoes the misty peaks. Bernhoeft positions the viewer in dialogue with nature, a very Romantic ideal. Note, the repetition of vertical lines versus the rounded boulders and how they resolve one another formally within the photographic plane. Editor: So, it's not simply about the view itself, but the artistic manipulation of tones, focus, and composition to convey a feeling, rather than strict representation? Curator: Precisely. The emotional weight is carried as much by the arrangement of forms and values as it is by the subject matter itself. It is in effect a master class of balance and structure using available light in the service of capturing the mood of a bygone era. Editor: I hadn’t considered it that way; thinking about composition and tonal balance opens up a whole new dimension. Curator: Indeed, considering these qualities reveals Bernhoeft's artistic intention.