Holy shit. This is the kind of sunset you hardly see any more, a 19th-century wilderness sunset, a few of which got set down, approximated, on canvas, landscapes of the American West by artists nobody ever heard of, when the land was still free and the eye innocent, and the presence of the Creator much more direct. Here it thunders now over the Mediterranean, high and lonely, this anachronism in primal red, in yellow purer that can be found anywhere today, a purity begging to be polluted…of course Empire took its way westward, what other way was there but into those virgin sunsets to penetrate and to foul?
This passage reflects a profound appreciation for a rare and beautiful sunset reminiscent of a time when nature was untouched and pure. The author evokes imagery of 19th-century landscapes, capturing the essence of a wilderness that remains unspoiled. It suggests a nostalgia for an era when the relationship between humanity and nature was more innocent, and the divine was easily perceivable in the world around. The sunset serves as a symbol of simplicity and beauty that has largely faded from contemporary life.
However, the author also acknowledges the inevitable intrusion of civilization and empire into these pristine environments. The imagery of empire "penetrating and fouling" the beauty of the sunset highlights the tension between human progress and the loss of natural purity. This contrast serves as a commentary on the consequences of industrialization and expansion, ultimately suggesting that the beauty of the world is continually at risk of being overshadowed by human ambition and disregard for nature.
