Gezicht op Zahleh c. 1867 - 1877

Editor: Here we have Félix Bonfils' "View of Zahleh," an albumen print made sometime between 1867 and 1877. The scale and composition, combined with the sepia tones, lend the whole scene a remarkable, almost dreamlike quality. What catches your eye in this photograph? Curator: The structural arrangement is quite striking. Bonfils employs a meticulous layering—the foreground slope, the tightly packed town nestled in the valley, and then the monumental mountains serving as a backdrop. Consider how the light plays across these surfaces; the tonality, almost monochromatic, guides the eye through distinct zones, creating depth. Editor: It's interesting how you point out the "monumental mountains" since their texture is subtle in this albumen print. The houses have clearer geometry. Is it right to view this interplay as an intentional choice? Curator: Indeed. Observe the tension between the sharp geometry of the built environment and the more amorphous forms of the natural landscape. This visual contrast invites reflection on humanity’s intervention in nature, however subtle. The tonal range also reinforces the formal composition through value differences that define shapes and create edges within the composition. Editor: I see what you mean. Looking closer, it’s all about lines and their arrangement: straight versus the subtle curves. It definitely shapes my perception. Thank you! Curator: Absolutely. Recognizing these fundamental formal qualities grants access to richer levels of meaning and understanding within the artwork. It encourages us to think of it not merely as a scene, but a carefully constructed experience.