Jungfrau Range from Mürren c. 1850s

Curator: What a striking study in contrasts! Adolphe Braun's "Jungfrau Range from Mürren" presents us with the sublime beauty of the Swiss Alps. Editor: It's brooding, almost gothic in its grandeur. The massive scale of the mountains against the tiny village creates an overwhelming sense of nature's power. Curator: Braun's masterful control of light and shadow enhances that feeling. The albumen print captures incredible detail, from the textures of the rocky crags to the soft, billowing clouds. It demonstrates how landscape photography became a tool for both scientific documentation and artistic expression. Consider, too, how such images shaped perceptions of Switzerland. Editor: Yes, it certainly played a role in constructing the myth of the Alps as a space for leisure and a refuge from industrial life. Though I confess, I'm most struck by the geometry—the hard, angled lines of the peaks playing against the soft, hazy sky. It is truly remarkable. Curator: Agreed. A single image holding such rich historical and formal tension; a beautiful reminder of how the camera saw the world then and how we interpret it now.