Matterhorn
Date
late 19th century
Creator
Unknown, Photographer
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 198mm
width (print): 250mm
width (print): 250mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Landscape view of the Matterhorn as seen from the Theodul Glacier, possibly the Theodul Pass. Six men are photographed, together with horses, makeshift cabins and a telescope. One stands apart from the group holding a large pole, an instrument that likely aided him in his ascent.
Forward facing inscription: ‘Theodule Mont Cervin’
The Theodul Glacier is a glacier located in the Alps, south of Zermatt in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The Theodul Pass is a mountain pass that lies between the Matterhorn on the west and the Breithorn on the east.
Scientific investigations on glaciers engaged many geologists and natural philosophers of the nineteenth century. James David Forbes and John Tyndall are among two of the Royal Society’s Fellows who travelled to Alpine glaciers during this time and wrote on the subject, displaying a particular interest in glacier flow mechanics.
Forward facing inscription: ‘Theodule Mont Cervin’
The Theodul Glacier is a glacier located in the Alps, south of Zermatt in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The Theodul Pass is a mountain pass that lies between the Matterhorn on the west and the Breithorn on the east.
Scientific investigations on glaciers engaged many geologists and natural philosophers of the nineteenth century. James David Forbes and John Tyndall are among two of the Royal Society’s Fellows who travelled to Alpine glaciers during this time and wrote on the subject, displaying a particular interest in glacier flow mechanics.
Object history
Purchased by the Royal Society, 2019.
Associated place