Near Flüelen c. 18th century

Curator: Salomon Gessner, born in 1730, presents us with "Near Flüelen," a landscape view now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Stark contrasts dominate; look at how the light carves out the mountain folds, emphasizing their monumentality against the stillness of the water. Curator: Gessner, though known as a poet, also explored the picturesque through prints like this, catering to the burgeoning Romantic sensibility and its longing for unspoiled nature. Editor: Indeed, this piece captures that longing; the eye is led into a serene, almost mythical, distance. It's a sublime composition. Curator: And it's within these idealized views that we see the seeds of later environmental consciousness—a desire to preserve these 'unspoiled' vistas for future generations. Editor: It's a testament to the power of visual language; these lines and forms evoke a powerful sense of both awe and tranquility.