View of a Waterfall that Runs into the Aber See in Austria Two Miles from S. AEgidi 1681

Curator: This is Melchior Küsel's "View of a Waterfall that Runs into the Aber See in Austria Two Miles from S. AEgidi," currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's striking how such a small plate, just about 11 centimeters square, evokes such a sense of dramatic scale. The waterfall dominates. Curator: Consider the period. Landscape prints like this served a vital role in shaping perceptions of place and nationhood, especially within the context of Hapsburg power. They also helped promote tourism and scientific interest. Editor: The rendering of the trees is so formulaic, almost like a stage set, yet the water is treated with a wonderful dynamism. The contrast draws the eye. Curator: That tension speaks to the way nature was being both idealized and commodified at the time, simultaneously a sublime force and a resource to be mapped and managed. Editor: It's an intriguing study in contrasts then, both visually and conceptually. Curator: Indeed, a reminder that even the most picturesque landscapes carry complex histories.