Two Tyrolese in a Chasm c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have Christian Ernst Morgenstern's "Two Tyrolese in a Chasm." Immediately, I'm struck by the raw, almost precarious energy of this mountainscape. Editor: The landscape dominates, dwarfing the figures. It speaks to the human struggle against nature, the exploitation of natural resources, perhaps even early tourism's impact on the Tyrolean landscape. What materials were used? Curator: This is most likely an etching or engraving, judging by the crisp lines. The labor involved in creating such detail, replicating it… it’s quite something. It's as if the artist is trying to capture the sublime through sheer craft. I find it somber, reflecting our relationship with the land. Editor: I see it too, that somber note. Morgenstern's technical skill makes the rocks and trees almost vibrate with a silent tension, a premonition. Are we appreciating or encroaching? Curator: A question for the ages. Considering it's a manufactured image of nature for consumption, these issues of access become pertinent. Editor: Precisely, and how this image itself is made available. A beautiful reminder of those connections, I think.