Monte Rosa from Alphubel, High Alps c. 1885

Curator: This is a stunning photograph titled "Monte Rosa from Alphubel, High Alps" by Vittorio Sella, part of our collection here at Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels utterly desolate, in a strangely beautiful way. The monochrome palette and vast expanse of snow really amplify that feeling. Curator: Sella's photographs, particularly his Alpine scenes, played a crucial role in shaping public perception of mountainous regions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Editor: Absolutely. It's almost otherworldly. You can almost feel the biting wind and the thin air just by looking at it. The clouds swirling around the peaks give it this dramatic, almost theatrical flair. Curator: Sella was meticulous in his craft, often using large format cameras to capture incredible detail. His work certainly elevated landscape photography to an art form. Editor: A breathtaking record of our planet’s grandeur. Makes you consider both its fragility and incredible strength.