Gezicht op Étang de Hanau before 1894

Curator: The tranquil beauty before us is “Gezicht op Étang de Hanau,” or “View of Hanau Lake,” captured by Charles Bernhoeft before 1894, likely as a gelatin-silver print. Editor: It has a wonderfully contemplative feel, almost a reverie. The monochromatic palette enhances the serene stillness, don't you think? Curator: Absolutely. Pictorialism was flourishing then, and Bernhoeft uses the soft focus and tonal range typical of the movement. It elevates the scene, attempting to show it is more than just documentary. Editor: The figure by the water's edge adds a certain romantic mystery. Water as an emotional archetype resonates here. Is she reflecting, contemplating her own depths mirrored in the lake's surface? Or maybe is she just there for the aesthetic experience. Curator: Perhaps, or perhaps both. Water is life and historically reflects on our unconscious depths. What about Japonisme and its growing influences around 1894? Editor: It's subtle but noticeable, the composition is akin to that of a Japanese woodblock print, in a kind of horizontal rendering which uses nature's expanse to evoke peace and inner contemplation. Water always evokes these connections. Curator: I wonder about the accessibility of Étang de Hanau. Tourism began its rise in the region towards the turn of the century. Photographs like these romanticized these spots for those unable to visit personally. Editor: The image certainly has a timeless allure. And even within it you see those hints to the Japonisme that dominated art in Europe in that same time period, influencing both those who experienced nature directly, as well as people who experience it through artistic depictions. Curator: Bernhoeft was surely conscious of this appeal. "Gezicht op Étang de Hanau" does much more than just display a landscape. It invites viewers into the landscape as part of a wider social and aesthetic conversation. Editor: It is beautiful how it evokes cultural memory, tying back to natural experiences and artistic expression throughout the ages. There is an alluring quality here.