Gezicht op het Banff Springs Hotel before 1897

Walter Dwight Wilcox captured this view of the Banff Springs Hotel, presenting us with an image dominated by the hotel itself, nestled beneath the grandeur of the mountains. The hotel, a man-made structure, evokes a sense of shelter and civilization, a beacon against the wilderness. Yet, the mountains loom large, ancient and powerful, reminding us of nature's enduring presence. Consider how similar structures appear in medieval tapestries, where castles symbolize power and order amidst chaotic forests. The contrast between the constructed and the natural speaks to our ongoing negotiation with the world around us, a dance between control and surrender. This tension engages us on a subconscious level, tapping into primal anxieties and aspirations. Like a recurring dream, this juxtaposition resurfaces across cultures and epochs, each time re-encoded with new meanings, yet forever echoing the fundamental human experience of seeking refuge within an untamed world.