Sculptured Rocks c. 1875

Curator: Here we have John K. Hillers's "Sculptured Rocks" from the Harvard Art Museums. Hillers, who lived from 1843 to 1925, captured this scene in a print sized at just 7.8 by 13.5 centimeters. Editor: Striking! The texture practically leaps out—a stark, geological ballet rendered in miniature. Curator: Indeed. Hillers was part of the U.S. Geological Survey. Photography, then, was about documentation, part of expansionist policies. Editor: The vertical lines create a kind of gothic grandeur, a natural cathedral sculpted by wind and water. See how the light emphasizes the erosion. Curator: The photograph highlights the sublime for public consumption, encouraging settlement with its promise of untapped resources. Editor: Even reduced to this scale, I'm captivated by the raw power of nature's artistry. It transcends its documentary purpose. Curator: A telling intersection of art, science, and political history, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely—a convergence that shapes our perspective, enriching how we view, and understand, the image.