Gipfelaubau des Dom (4554 m) v. Festijoch, Pennine Alps 1908

Curator: Here we have A. G. Wehrli’s "Gipfelaubau des Dom (4554 m) v. Festijoch, Pennine Alps", a photograph residing in the Harvard Art Museums. It’s an image of the Dom mountain in the Pennine Alps. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the starkness, that monochrome palette. It’s a landscape, yes, but it almost feels like an abstract study in textures – the granular snow, the sharp rock faces. Curator: The photograph, likely taken around the early 20th century, captures a moment of human endeavor against a monumental natural backdrop. The figures ascending the mountain become symbols of ambition. Editor: Exactly! These tiny figures—dwarfed by the scale of the mountain—become almost mythological, like Sisyphus pushing his boulder. The mountain becomes a symbol of endurance, struggle, and the sublime. Curator: I see the symbolic connection. It’s a reminder of nature's power and our small place within it. The clarity and detail, despite the harsh conditions, are also quite captivating. Editor: Absolutely, that tension between the beauty and the unforgiving nature of the landscape is what makes it so compelling. It resonates with our primal awe of the world and our endless quest to explore it.