Scene among the Vosges mountains 1850

Curator: My first impression is, wow, so dramatic! The monochrome tones are so intense, the composition is really eye-catching, and the detail is incredible. It's like a dreamscape. Editor: This is "Scene among the Vosges mountains", a print by Charles André Malardot. The Vosges mountains, located in Eastern France, have historically been a site of both natural beauty and geopolitical tension. Curator: Yes, I can see that tension! The darkness of the trees framing a more open landscape is, to me, like the feeling of being held and then released. Editor: The landscape tradition often romanticized rural life, but it also served as a tool for national identity formation. Prints like this would have circulated widely, shaping perceptions and fostering a sense of belonging. Curator: Belonging, yes, but there's also a sense of the sublime here, the way the mountain rises up, almost menacing. It's not all pastoral sweetness. Editor: Indeed. The mountains can represent a kind of border, a space of resistance, or even a refuge from social norms. Curator: That's interesting, like a secret, untamed space. I'm glad we have it here at the Harvard Art Museums for us to explore. Editor: It’s a powerful reminder of the layers of meaning embedded in landscape art.