The Nesthorn, from the Ober Aletsch glacier by Ernest Edwards

before 1866

The Nesthorn, from the Ober Aletsch glacier

Listen to curator's interpretation

0:00
0:00

Curatorial notes

Ernest Edwards captured "The Nesthorn, from the Ober Aletsch glacier" in this photograph, an image dominated by the stark, monumental presence of the mountain. The mountain, a symbol of permanence and the sublime, echoes through centuries. Its representation evokes the primordial, an eternal force that dwarfs human endeavors. Think of how mountains appear in the backgrounds of Renaissance paintings, silent witnesses to human drama. The mountain itself becomes a canvas reflecting the cultural and emotional landscape of its time. It is a place where our collective anxieties and awe converge. This photograph is not just a depiction of a geological feature, but a mirror reflecting our enduring fascination with the sublime. Over time, the mountain, once a symbol of the gods, becomes a symbol of ourselves.