Gezicht op het dal en een gletsjer bij Sulden before 1899

Photoglob & Co.’s photograph captures a view of Sulden with the Ortler glacier in the background in 1899. The imposing glacier looms over the village, a powerful symbol of nature's sublime and sometimes threatening presence. The glacier motif echoes in other works across time. Think of Caspar David Friedrich's landscapes, where nature dominates, dwarfing human figures. In both cases, the glacier evokes a sense of awe and introspection, stirring a primal human response. The glacier can be traced back to ancient myths where mountains were seen as the homes of gods. Over time, the glacier has evolved from a place of fear to one of scientific fascination, yet it retains its symbolic power. It's a reminder of the power of the natural world to shape not only landscapes, but also the human psyche, engaging our subconscious fears and desires. The cyclical progression of this motif highlights how the glacier has resurfaced, evolved, and acquired new meanings across historical contexts.