Waterval Cascata delle Marmore in Umbrië, Italië 1857 - 1865

Curator: Oh, look at this photograph, an albumen print dating back to the late 1850s or early 1860s, capturing the "Waterval Cascata delle Marmore in Umbrië, Italië," created by Altobelli e Ci. Isn't it just breathtaking? Editor: Breathtaking is… one word for it. My first impression? The energy of that water is almost frightening. All that potential and force. It feels primal, something deeply embedded in our collective memory of nature. Curator: I agree; the cascade itself, with that blurred motion against the sharp, rocky landscape, is a strong compositional element. Given the photographic techniques of the era, I suspect getting that balance was no small feat. It feels like they were chasing after some romantic ideal of the sublime. Editor: Definitely. Waterfalls are potent symbols. On one hand, cleansing and purification – the white water washes everything clean. On the other hand, sheer overwhelming power—an almost destructive force that shapes and reshapes the land, which makes you really think of humanity’s insignificance. And think about the use of light here too – those luminous areas, versus the shadows that give the water its power. Curator: Exactly, and the detail in the rocks too is what makes the image really sing to me, not just because of photographic trickery. Each boulder seems imbued with a history. As if they have existed since the beginning of time, existing alongside this volatile source of nature's awesome capacity. Editor: They’re witnesses, aren't they? Anchors to the past. What do you think about it being shot by a firm with “& Ci” – so it’s more of a photographic production? Does that cheapen its symbolism for you, versus the hand of a lone photographer out capturing nature’s wildness? Curator: Not necessarily. To me, it speaks more to the changing face of art in the 19th century, particularly with new technological advances that opened up exciting creative paths. It doesn't diminish the symbolic power for me; rather, it perhaps amplifies how widely that symbolism resonated, even into a commercial context. Editor: That's interesting – a democratization of symbolism through mass production, which now gives it to even more eyes over centuries. I feel like I almost grasp something about us as a species through staring at that image. Thanks for pointing that out; I was definitely in a Romantic mindset only until now. Curator: A wonderful way to think about our place in all of this—and for me too. This work is definitely food for thought, if you’ll forgive the heavy-handedness, I found our discussion particularly cleansing!