Hardraw Fall c. 19th century

Curator: Ah, this is Hardraw Fall by John Pye the Younger, currently residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. It gives one a sense of scale, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely, my first impression is of an almost theatrical stage, where the waterfall is the dramatic reveal in some ancient myth. Curator: I find it fascinating how Pye uses the image of the waterfall as a symbol of nature's immense power. Water is so often seen as cleansing, but here it also implies something overwhelming. Editor: The tiny human figures really amplify the sense of awe. Waterfalls often represent transformation in symbolism, a constant flow of change. Curator: And look at how dark the rocks are! He really knew how to use darkness to draw the eye right to the falling water. Editor: I'm reminded of the Romantic obsession with the sublime—that mingling of terror and beauty in the face of untamed nature. Curator: I see the sublime in the sheer drop and the light hitting the falling water. Editor: Yes, it's a reminder that nature is so much grander than us, so much older too! Well, it's certainly given me a new perspective on Pye's work. Curator: Indeed. It's as if he wants us to get lost in the immensity of it all.