Storm in the Mountains 1840 - 1850

Editor: So this is Alexandre Calame's "Storm in the Mountains," created sometime between 1840 and 1850. It's a print, and I immediately feel this sense of overwhelming power, but also vulnerability looking at these tiny figures in such a vast landscape. What social undercurrents might we explore in this piece? Curator: Excellent observation. Given its historical context, we might explore how the sublime in Romantic art, like this, reflects the era’s societal anxieties. Consider the burgeoning industrial revolution: nature became both a refuge and a reminder of what was being lost. Where do you see these tensions reflected in the composition? Editor: I think in the stark contrast. There’s this overwhelming storm, but down below, you have those small figures attempting to traverse it. Is it humanity trying to survive against the odds? Curator: Precisely. And who is given access to this "sublime" experience? Landscape paintings, during this time, were largely consumed by the rising middle class, weren’t they? What does that tell us about class dynamics and the experience of nature as a commodity? How do you see the lens of Romanticism obscuring the relationship between social status and landscape? Editor: I see your point. Perhaps the experience of the "sublime" was almost a luxury afforded to certain classes. The figures at the bottom, we feel for them, but are also disconnected from their lived experiences... Curator: Indeed. It begs the question of whose narratives were centered in these landscapes. Thinking about today, whose are still excluded from dialogues around art history and our experience with nature? Editor: That's a perspective shift for me. Seeing art through the lens of social critique. It makes the whole viewing experience feel... more meaningful. Thank you. Curator: And for me, your willingness to engage makes uncovering layers of societal understanding within art worthwhile.