Via Mala c. 18th century

Curator: Johann Heinrich Meyer, active in the late 17th and early 18th century, created this print titled "Via Mala." The scene depicts a dramatic mountain pass. Editor: My first impression is of a place both treacherous and sublime, rendered with incredible detail. I'm really drawn to the textures; you can practically feel the rough stone. Curator: Absolutely. The artist used hatching techniques to convey a real sense of depth and scale. The way the road and bridge are constructed seems to integrate human endeavor within a massive geological process. Editor: And look at the figures on the path. Such small beings amidst all that rock! You can see the labor that went into making this pass, and how it connects to trade and movement in that region. Curator: A reminder of human impact but also, perhaps, of our insignificance. We build, and nature endures. Editor: Well, I am left pondering about the labor and materials necessary to carve a path through such forbidding terrain. It's a testament to human ambition, but also a sign of our ongoing interactions with natural resources. Curator: It's a dialogue, really—between what we build and what remains long after we're gone. Makes you think, doesn't it?