Waterval tussen de rotsen van de Kitzlochklamm 1881 - 1892

Curator: What a find! This stereoscopic albumen print by Würthle & Spinnhirn, titled "Waterval tussen de rotsen van de Kitzlochklamm," captured sometime between 1881 and 1892, plunges us into a dramatic ravine. Editor: Dramatic indeed! The claustrophobic feeling is immediate. Those imposing rock faces practically box the waterfall in; it feels as if nature is actively crushing any sense of openness. Curator: Note how the monochrome tones accentuate the textures of the rock, heightening the drama you felt. Waterfalls have long represented purity and renewal in art, but here, it almost feels trapped, struggling. What emotional symbols do you perceive? Editor: I’m more interested in the physical symbolism here. Think of the labor involved, the specific chemistry used to produce this image. This isn't just art; it is about resource extraction – both aesthetic and literal – and the framing and consumption of landscapes through industrial practices like the railway also advertised here. The railroad provided access, facilitating this specific gaze. Curator: Interesting connection. The railroad's advertisement is indeed quite explicit. The railway line itself becomes symbolic – bridging the viewer to these natural wonders, packaging the sublime. The waterfall represents more than just a scenic vista; it is now an attainable experience, commodified for mass consumption, framed through science and new media. Editor: And made into a consumer product that flattens depth and tactility! The question arises whether photography truly democratized art or merely reconfigured social access through industrial networks, reducing complex material realities to an image for private ownership. Curator: Well, regardless of its societal effects, this stereoscopic image undeniably speaks to the era's obsession with capturing and possessing nature, with a keen, manufactured, perspective of the sublime. Thank you, Editor. Editor: My pleasure. These nineteenth-century photographers knew their chemistry.