Landscape Number 70 c. 19th century

Editor: So, this is Alexandre Calame’s "Landscape Number 70," housed at Harvard Art Museums. It's a very detailed landscape, almost photorealistic. What strikes me most is the emphasis on the material presence of nature; how do you interpret this work? Curator: Consider the nineteenth-century printmaking processes. The labor invested in capturing such detail speaks to a cultural desire to document and commodify nature. How does this influence our perception of the landscape itself? Editor: That’s a fascinating point about commodification through labor. I hadn’t considered the printmaking process itself as a statement. Curator: Exactly. The print becomes a product, transforming the wilderness into something digestible and ownable. It makes you think about the relationship between art, industry, and the environment. Editor: It really does change my perspective. Thank you for that insight!