From the Mettelhorn, The Rothhorn, Pennine Alps 1908

Editor: This photograph, "From the Mettelhorn, The Rothhorn, Pennine Alps," was taken by George Perry Ashley Abraham. It's a silver print, and the mount is dated 1908. What strikes me is the sheer scale and the kind of romantic sublime feeling it evokes. How do you interpret this work in its historical context? Curator: The rise of mountaineering in the late 19th and early 20th centuries fueled a demand for images like this. Consider how photography, particularly within institutions like the Harvard Art Museums, played a role in shaping perceptions of nature and national identity. It also promoted tourism, didn't it? Editor: Absolutely, it did. I guess I hadn't considered the commercial aspect so explicitly. Curator: It is a powerful reminder of how art is inextricably linked to social and economic forces.