Gezelschap op een paardenkar rijdt door de Wawona-sequoia in het Yosemite National Park c. 1880 - 1900

George Fiske captured this image of the Wawona Tree in Yosemite National Park in the late 19th century, using the wet plate collodion process, a technique notable for its fine detail and tonal range. The photograph shows a horse-drawn carriage carrying tourists passing through a tunnel carved directly into the base of a giant sequoia. This act of cutting through a living tree underscores a fascinating tension. On the one hand, the sheer scale and age of the sequoia evoke a sense of awe and respect for nature. But on the other, the act of hollowing it out to create a tourist attraction speaks to a different kind of value: one measured in commerce and consumption. Consider the labor involved, not just in the creation of the photograph, but in the physical act of carving the tree. The Wawona Tree became a spectacle, a roadside attraction. It invites us to think about the complex relationship between humans and the natural world, and the ways in which we transform it to suit our needs and desires.