Dent Blanche from Dent d'Herens c. 1885

Editor: This stunning photograph, "Dent Blanche from Dent d'Herens" by Vittorio Sella, captures an imposing mountain range. I’m struck by its austere beauty. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see more than just a mountain, I see a symbol of nineteenth-century European conquest and the romanticization of nature. Think about the historical context: wealthy Europeans ‘discovering’ and claiming these spaces. How does this image participate in that narrative? Editor: So, it's not just about the mountain's grandeur, but also about who had the power to document and possess it? Curator: Exactly. Sella's technical skill romanticizes the landscape, obscuring the realities of indigenous communities and colonial ambitions. How does this knowledge change your perception of the photograph? Editor: It makes me question whose perspective is privileged here and whose stories are missing. Curator: Precisely. This image prompts us to critically examine landscape photography as a tool of power and representation.