The Waterfall of Géhart c. 19th century

Editor: This is an engraving of "The Waterfall of Géhart," artist unknown. I find the scene quite romantic, almost foreboding with its dense forest. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful assertion of the wild, a landscape untouched by the industrial revolution that was rapidly transforming society. Consider its anonymous authorship; is this a conscious rejection of individual celebrity in favour of a collective vision of nature's power? It speaks to a yearning for an idealized past, doesn't it? Editor: That’s a good point. I hadn't considered the anonymity as a statement itself. Curator: Exactly. Perhaps this work is less about the waterfall itself, and more about what that waterfall represents in a rapidly changing world. It asks us to reflect on what we lose when we prioritize progress above all else. Editor: I'll definitely be thinking about that more deeply. Thanks. Curator: My pleasure. It's about situating the image in its socio-political context.