Mu-av Cañon c. 1875

Editor: Here we have John K. Hillers' stereograph, "Mu-av Cañon." It's a small photograph, but the canyon seems endless. What statement do you think Hillers was trying to make about the American West? Curator: It's interesting to consider Hillers' work within the context of 19th-century expansionism. These images were often used to promote the idea of manifest destiny, weren’t they? To show the vastness and potential of the West? Editor: Right, like, "look at all this space ripe for development!" Was Hillers aware of his role in that? Curator: He was employed by government survey teams. His work served a political purpose: documentation, yes, but also justification. Consider how these images might have influenced policy decisions. Editor: So, it's not just a pretty picture; it's a piece of political propaganda, in a way. Curator: Precisely! It reveals the complexities of art’s role in shaping public perception and driving historical events. Editor: I never thought about landscape photography that way before. Thanks!