Head of Kulu Valley c. 1880s

Curator: Francis Frith's "Head of Kulu Valley," a photograph residing at the Harvard Art Museums, presents us with a grand vista from around 1860. The scale feels utterly humbling, doesn’t it? Editor: It does. The composition, with its stark contrasts, evokes a sense of the sublime—the vast, overpowering nature, especially when we consider Frith's role as a documentarian of the British Empire. Curator: Exactly. Those shadowed foreground rocks lead my eye up to the snowy peaks. It’s almost as if Frith is saying, "Look what wonders we've 'discovered.'" Editor: And it's important to acknowledge that such "discoveries" often came at the expense of local populations and their relationship with the land. How can we appreciate the artistic merit without also confronting the colonial gaze? Curator: Food for thought indeed. Perhaps the real art lies in our ability to see both the beauty and the underlying complexities. Editor: Precisely, a reminder that even the most breathtaking images carry histories that must be critically examined.