View of the Alps c. 18th century

Curator: This is Jean Ouvrier's "View of the Alps," and while it doesn't have a specific date, we know Ouvrier was active in the 18th century. It's an engraving. Editor: It feels incredibly dramatic, almost theatrical. Look at the scale of the landscape compared to the tiny figures! There’s a real sense of the sublime here. Curator: Absolutely. The social and political context of the time saw a growing fascination with the natural world, particularly landscapes untouched by industrialization. Editor: The etching also depicts the social hierarchy within the landscape, doesn't it? The wealthy enjoying nature as a site for leisure. Curator: Precisely. The "Alps" were becoming sites of privilege, a visual testament to the growing divide between classes and their access to what was deemed "untouched" nature. Editor: I find myself drawn to those distant buildings. They remind us of the persistent tension between the built and the natural world. Curator: It offers a chance to contemplate the historical relationship between landscape, social identity, and power, through visual representation. Editor: Definitely food for thought. I'm leaving this with a renewed sense of how landscapes are both places and political statements.