Darjeeling. Kinchinjunga and the Snows from Kutcherry Hill

1890

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Darjeeling. Kinchinjunga and the Snows from Kutcherry Hill is a 1890 by Photoglob Co., a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Photoglob Co.
When & what style?: 1890 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a wide, snowy mountain range rising behind a patchwork of green hills and tiny buildings. The photographer pushed the horizon way up, making the peaks feel even taller. The little houses look like toys next to the jagged snow, but the bright green below keeps the scene from feeling too harsh. If you like this mix of wild nature and quiet human life, look up subject: india, 19th century.

The story of this work

Overview

The photographer chose a very high horizon line in order to emphasize the grandeur and scale of the mountains and foothills of the Lesser Himalayas. In the foreground, the human settlements are dwarfed by nature’s creation, but the greenery they offer is refreshing and hospitable in contrast to the severity of the rock and cragged, snow-covered peaks.