Gezicht op het Vierwoudstrekenmeer before 1868

Stephen Thompson created this image, "Gezicht op het Vierwoudstrekenmeer," using a photographic process in which capturing landscapes became increasingly popular. During this time, the Romantics found solace and inspiration in nature, so photography offered a new way of engaging with the sublime. Consider this image in light of early tourism and the developing concept of the picturesque, often tied to class and accessibility. The two circular photographs resemble scenes viewed through a camera obscura, which would reflect the changing social landscape of visual consumption in a rapidly modernizing world. The image shows an inherent tension between the desire to preserve and contain nature within artistic and technological frameworks. Thompson's work invites us to reflect on the transient beauty of landscapes and our complex relationship with the environment. It also prompts questions about who gets to see and represent these views.