Gezicht op de vallei van Wildenstein before 1894

Curator: This gelatin-silver print, "Gezicht op de vallei van Wildenstein," captures a view of the Wildenstein valley, sometime before 1894, by Charles Bernhoeft. It’s a striking image of a figure crossing a shallow stream. Editor: My first impression is one of peace, but also a subtle feeling of melancholy. The monochromatic palette and the figure positioned quite small within the vast landscape evoke a sense of solitude, doesn't it? Curator: Indeed. Bernhoeft was a noted photographer in Luxembourg, actively documenting its landscapes and people during a period of great transformation. This work participates in a longer history of landscape imagery used to foster a sense of national identity. The valley, after all, wasn't merely scenery. It became a site through which local belonging was materially produced. Editor: I see the mountains in the background as symbols of endurance and steadfastness, a sense of permanence. Water often embodies the idea of purification or change, wouldn't you agree? I wonder, is the person walking into the future or leaving something behind? The artist guides us to a reading through universally understood symbols. Curator: It's worth remembering the historical context: Photography was gaining traction as a documentary tool but was also vying for recognition as an art form. Bernhoeft likely positioned himself within those discourses, aiming to both objectively record and artistically interpret the region. How can photography also be elevated into an emotional narrative? Editor: So true, you’re pulling out the tension between what photography "is." Still, my reading hinges on water. We’re constantly reminded of our emotional attachments to waterways. This man literally steps into our deeper consciousness of the flow. He isn't just on a Sunday walk. He’s walking into what water always symbolizes. Curator: A fascinating point. And perhaps that’s part of the magic here. Bernhoeft encourages readings across a range of different interpretive possibilities, all within the span of one quiet landscape. Editor: It makes me think differently about landscapes in photography.