Hugh Lee Pattinson American Waterfalls, 1840 Daguerre font (Robinson Library of Newcastle University, like many world travelers of his time, Pattinson visited Niagara Falls and enjoyed its natural beauty. Pattinson used his Daguerre camera invented only a year ago and his chemical skills to make the first set of images showing the scenery of the United States and Horseshoe Falls. The emergence of photography technology, first Daguerre camera, then salty paper printing, protein printing, cyan printing, sunlight printing, color printing and platinum printing, until Kodak came out in 1888, which made the spectacular scene of the western United States famous all over the world. However, in this version of American photography history, what is neglected is the early landscape pictures of the eastern United States.
That's why Diane Wagner, curator of Museum19th Century Photography, opened the ambitious "East of Mississippi River:19th Century American Landscape Photography Exhibition" this week, which will last until mid-July.
This is the first comprehensive survey of early oriental landscape photography, and the focus of the exhibition is the first invasive human activities. Unlike the west, the west has just begun to see the spread of industrialization. There was a large population in the eastern United States in the 1980s. As Wagner explained, landscape photographers in the East use this medium to advocate the protection of land threatened by commercial and industrial forces.
Take Niagara as an example. When Pattinson visited, a rural tourism industry had changed this landmark. In his images, the natural beauty of Niagara becomes the focus, and other early types of Daguerre record hotels living in this area. Later this century, photographers like George Barker will record how banks in Niagara are crowded with factories and manufacturing buildings. Their work contributed to the Free Niagara Movement, which eventually led to the establishment of Niagara Reserve, the first state park in new york (1885).
At the opening of the exhibition, the Smithsonian Institution interviewed Wagner. About revisiting a neglected chapter in American history,
When did you first get interested in telling this story? I have met many photographers whose works may have regional fame, but in fact, they have never gained too many national platforms and have been marginalized in the history of photography. I really want to pay attention to these excellent photographers.
At the same time, I'd like to see the problems that these photographers are particularly concerned about. What is the theme that began to appear? How has it changed over time? What is the earliest known landscape in America? I am glad that we can show some of the earliest known landscape paintings, which were taken at the end of 1839 or 1840, just at the beginning of the medium.
Panorama of Niagara Falls by Frederick Langenheim and William Langenheim, 1845, five works by Daguerre (borrowed from Gilman Metropolitan Museum of Art), presented by Howard Gilman Foundation, 2005), Samuel Bemis Crawford Shelter and Hotel, Whitehill, New Hampshire, 1840-65438. There are a series of photos of the kerosene area in northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as a comparison between nature and culture. It can be traced back to 19 an article about American scenery written by Thomas Cole in 1930s. Just before photography, he said that the United States is a place full of magical natural wonders, but at the same time, the time is ripe for development and expansion.
I was a little surprised to realize how many great changes have taken place through this project. This is a different trajectory, which takes place in the eastern landscape and the west, because the west is being solved. It happened earlier in the east, where the railway was built, and the railway network in the whole eastern United States.
James F. Ryder Atlantic and Great Western Railway, 1862 Album Printing (National Gallery of Washington, Permanent Fund for Gifts and Sponsors of Mary and Dan Solomon) James F. Ryder Atlantic and Great Western Railway, 1862 Album Printing (National Gallery of Washington, Permanent Fund for Gifts and Sponsors of Mary and Dan) James F. Ryder 1862 Album Printing (Washington National Art Museum, a gift from Mary and Dan, Solomon Permanent Fund and sponsor) Thomas H. Johnson Inclined G, about 1863- 1865 Album Printing (a collection of works by Michael Matisse and Judith Hockberg) James F. Ryder Altai 1862 album printing (William L. schaffer's works) The seesaw of land development and protection is a theme today, but it really surprised me to see this tense atmosphere begin to unfold in these oriental photos.
When you start to do something that you are affecting the landscape, there will always be this "waiting" attitude. Of course, the19th century itself is the moment when people begin to consider historical protection.
The photographers in this exhibition may be famous in this area, but they are not household names. Can you tell me some people who stand out in front of you? "
Thomas easterly, typist of St. louis Daguerre, owner of Daguerre typewriter. Basically, he is the most talented Daguerre genius in the United States. He runs a portrait studio, but he took the initiative to photograph the changes in St. Louis in the past few decades. He was the only photographer who insisted on Daguerre font in the 65438+60s. After most people gave it up to do paper processing … he is really an exhibitor.
James wallace Blake's early works in Baishan [his hometown of New Hampshire] in 0/854 are incredible.
James F. Ryder was the first railroad company in the United States, and George Warren almost helped invent the university yearbook. He took amazing and beautiful photos of the buildings and landscapes around these university campuses, catering to the graduating seniors. They bought these photos and the scenery of the campus and buildings and bound them into a book.
Henry Peter Bose's incredible series of blueprints in the upper Mississippi River is part of his work for the Army Corps of Engineers. He photographed the upper Mississippi River, which is being tamed and rebuilt for navigation, but he obviously looks at this landscape not only from a technical point of view, but also from an aesthetic point of view. Then there was William H. Law, who photographed the Pennsylvania Railway and the Leahy Valley Railway in the 1890 s. He made these amazing mammoth prints.
Will these photographers have exhibitions in their lifetime?
[In some cases] these are the tasks of the pane. They may live in historical societies or museums, but you can trace them back to the Pani people who sent them. This is true for people like (William) Rowe or Zhan Mu Slade. Throughout the19th century, he was a very active and outstanding photographer, but it was not until he finished writing his autobiography that he began to work on it.
Jay dearborn Edwards Ship Princess, 1858- 1859 Salted Paper Prints (New Orleans History Collection) The mist rising after the rain in John Moran, Juniata River, C, 1862 Stereo Album Prints (Philadelphia Library Company) George Kendall Warren's trophy point from the west point of Hudson River, About 1867- 1868 Album Prints (National Gallery of Washington, D.C., Robert Menschel and Francesca Chek, N.H. 1860' s, Cartel Dewest Album Print (National Gallery of Washington, Robert Menschel and Key Projects Foundation), Samuel Mashuri's Salt Paper Prints (loaned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, collected by Gilman, purchased by the museum in 2005) Samuel Mashuri is at Lorraine Manor (about 1857- 1859) at the intersection of Beverly Puulaid, Massachusetts (Worcester Museum of Art, Eliza S Payne Foundation). Georgetown, DC, 1863- 1865 Album Prints (Prints and Photographs Department of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.), brodhead Creek, John Moran, Watergap, Delaware, 1863 Album Prints (presented by John P. Cole, National Gallery of Washington, in memory of Margaret Kanaga Cole and john owen Riley. 20 16) brodhead creek, John Moran, Delaware water gorge, 1863 photo album printing (presented by John p kohl, national gallery of Washington, in memory of Margaret kanaga kohl and john owen Rowley kohl, 20 16) Isaac H. bonsall. 1863- 1865 Album Printing (collected by Paul Sack) Henry Peter Bose drew the spans of C. and N.W.R.R.R. Bridges in Clinton, Illinois, and the blue book of 1885 (by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Charles Wellenberg and Sally, 20 14) The Construction of Rocks and Shrubbery Dams by Henry Peter Bose (L.W.), 189 1 Blue Book (a gift from Mary and Dan Solomon of the National Gallery of Art in Washington), a picture book related to the Philadelphia Photography Association, C,1.