Head of the Narrows c. 1875

Curator: John K. Hillers captured this stereograph, titled "Head of the Narrows," presenting us with a dual perspective of a canyon's embrace. Editor: There's a somber coolness to it. The layered rock seems to bear witness to immense geological time. Curator: The river narrows, channeling not only water but also the symbolic journey, perhaps alluding to life's passages and constraints. The repetition in the stereograph enhances this sense of confinement, almost a visual echo. Editor: I'm struck by the process. The material reality of photography in that era—the glass plates, the slow exposures—demanded a different kind of engagement with the landscape. Curator: Indeed. It also captured a vanishing American West, as Hillers often photographed native people and landscapes altered by expansion. This image then resonates with themes of exploration and transformation. Editor: It's a study in tones, light rendering texture, and revealing the stratified story of material erosion. Curator: It prompts reflection on both the natural world's enduring presence and our evolving relationship with it. Editor: I'm left pondering the sheer labor involved in capturing and creating this image.