The spectacular view of the Matterhorn from the Triftkumme is one of the most fascinating and popular motifs in Edward Theodore Compton's work. Like many of his English colleagues in the field of alpinism, Compton caught the fascination upon his first visit to the Swiss Alps at a young age: The first major mountain tour was probably the one with his brother William, which took him to the Swiss Alps in 1869, after he had already been deeply impressed by the mountains of the Bernese Oberland around Lake Thun in 1867. It was especially English alpinists that lead the series of spectacular first ascents, including Edward Whymper, who was the first to conquer the Matterhorn in 1865 and, as a member of the Alpine Club founded in 1857, produced drawings and illustrations for its journal, among other things, which helped to visualize his success. Due to his fascination with this impressive region, Compton also decided to specialize in mountain painting. A keen mountaineer, he was able to conquer the peaks both physically and artistically, making him the most important founder and representative of this genre. [KT]