Scientists paint a glacial picture

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The Lower Grindelwald Glacier portrayed by the artist Samuel Birmann (1793-1847) in 1826. This drawing shows the front of the glacier at its first advance into the valley in the 19th century. Institute of Geography, University of Bern

The Mer de Glace on the Mont Blanc massif in France drawn by Samuel Birmann in August 1823. For researchers, the quality of such drawings is comparable to that of photographs. (Kupferstichkabinett, Kunstmuseum Basel) Institute of Geography, University of Bern

Birmann also drew detailed views of several glacier "snouts." Here, he drew the snout of the Lower Grindelwald Glacier in July 1826, when it was still intact. (Kupferstichkabinett, Kunstmuseum Basel) Institute of Geography, University of Bern

This photo, taken in 1861, shows the snout of the Lower Grindelwald Glacier partially collapsed, perhaps signaling the first retreats of the glacier. Photographed by Adolphe Braun (Private Collection of Jaroslav F. Jebavy, Geneva) Institute of Geography, University of Bern

Birmann also portrayed the arch-like snout of the Mer de Glace in 1823. (Kupferstichkabinett, Kunstmuseum Basel) Institute of Geography, University of Bern

This photo, taken in 1859, shows that the Mer de Glace’s snout, with the source of the Arveyron river, was still intact at the time. Photographed by the Bisson brothers. (Private collection of J. and S. Seydoux; Musée Savoisien, Chambéry) Institute of Geography, University of Bern

In 1854, the Bisson Brothers took a photo of the Glacier des Bois, as the Mer de Glace was then known because of its proximity to the village of Les Bois in the valley bottom. This photo may be the first taken from this site. The frontal zone of the Mer de Glace advanced approximately 290 metres from 1842 to 1852. (Alpine Club Library, London) Institute of Geography, University of Bern

One of the first photographs of the Lower Grindelwald Glacierduring the late summer/early autumn season 1855/56. Scientists determined that the front of the ice sheet advanced 75–150 metres into the valley between 1839 and 1855/56. Photographed by the Bisson brothers. (Alpine Club Library, London) Institute of Geography, University of Bern

The Mer de Glace portrayed by Samuel Birmann in 1823 from La Flégère. (Kupferstichkabinett, Kunstmuseum Basel) Institute of Geography, University of Bern

A recent view of the Mer de Glace. The arrow shows the location of the glacier front in 2005. This photo and the previous one show the extreme retreat of the Mer de Glace over the last 190 years. Institute of Geography, University of Bern

At left, the Lower Grindelwald Glacier in 1858 in the valley floor, two to three years after its 19th century maximum extent in 1855/56. At its peak point, the glacier’s tongue extended very close to human settlements. Photographed by Frédéric Martens (1806–1885). (Alpine Club Library, London). At right, the glacier in 1974 and, inset, the glacier front in 2005. Institute of Geography, University of Bern

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Blending the disciplines of art and science, Bern University geographers combed through thousands of old paintings and photographs of the Alps to understand exactly when each glacier was at its height and when it began to retreat.

Professor Heinz Zumbühl and Dr. Daniel Steiner, along with their colleague Samuel Nussbaumer, analysed some of the earliest glacier photographs and art sources to produce the article, “19th century glacier representations and fluctuations in the central and western European Alps”. The project primarily examines photos and paintings of the Lower Grindelwald Glacier in the Bernese Oberland and Mer de Glace on the Mont Blanc massif.

“The mid-19th century was, in many ways, a very interesting time,” the authors write in the study. There was a major glacial advance at the time, as well as a revolutionary change in glacier representation techniques, from drawings and prints to the much more precise first photographs.

Steiner and Zumbühl shared the following photos and analyses with swissinfo.ch.