.
Life among the Navajo Indians near old Fort Defiance, New Mexico
Apache Lake in the Sierra Blanca Range in Arizona. Two Apache scouts in the foreground
Apache Lake in the Sierra Blanca Range in Arizona
Canyon of the Colorado River near the mouth of the San Juan River in Arizona
Canyon De Chelly in Arizona. Walls of the Grand Canyon are about 1200 feet high
Canyon De Chelly in Arizona. Walls of the Grand Canyon are about 1200 feet high
Old Mission Church in the Zuni Indian Pueblo in New Mexico, viewed from the plaza
Section of the south side of the Zuni Indian Pueblo in New Mexico
South side of Inscription Rock at El Morro National Monument, New Mexico
Historic Spanish record of the Conquest on the south side of Inscription Rock at El Morro National Monument in New Mexico
Photos by Timothy H. O'Sullivan (1840-1882), from U.S. Geographical Surveys West of the One Hundredth Meridian under Lieutenant George M. Wheeler, 1873 Expedition (U. S. Geological Survey Photographic Library)
7 comments:
Arriving after several seriously disquieting days, this arrived not a moment too soon. The painted number 3 on the rock intrigues me, but each of O'Sullivan's photos really burns its way inside and reminds me how individual artists' eyes can be. I wish I knew how they could be used in a survey, but I assume that I can read more and find out (if I can tear myself away from looking at the photos). Curtis
Curtis,
I believe the number is on the print, not the rock; though the inscription is indeed fashioned in such a way as to give one pause.
O'Sullivan's notable accomplishments in the field as a war photographer, along with his reputation as a rough-and-ready traveler, qualified him for a series of survey expeditions (artists, botanists as well as geologists and surveyors were included).
The wet-plate collodion photographic process entailed dragging a portable darkroom around the country. Four mules and a wagon comprised O'Sullivan's photographic company. (The soldiers spoke of his mysterious "what-is-it" wagons.) The large glass plates then had to be carried back across the country overland to Washington, where he made prints.
The Wheeler surveys were concerned with Manifest Destiny, whereas the earlier expeditions O'Sullivan made under Clarence King had a stricter scientific objective; that is, to document the geology and topography of the West.
O'Sullivan went through incredible ordeals and labours to create his art.
The scientific and/or imperialistic purposes of the expeditions notwithstanding, what is most striking about O'Sullivan's work in the West is that, like his Civil War work, there are emotional tonalities shot all through his visions of deserts and rocks.
No one has ever filled up the space between a near foreground and a vast distant horizon more completely.
I believe that the large scale landscape photography of recent practitioners like Burtynsky follow directly from the early work of O'Sullivan, Carleton E. Watkins and J.H. Jackson. The processes indeed are similar. But the difficulties are not the same. O'Sullivan did not have the benefit of helicopters, cranes, location scouts, set-up teams or those other substantial logistical advantages which make the Burtynsky operation seem in comparison curiously like a corporate venture.
More detail on the life and work of this great photographer can be found in a very useful biographical article
here.
Thank you for all of this, including the article and the explanation of the number 3. As a very good songwriter noted, "ain't it just like the night to play tricks when you're trying to be so quiet." I'm going to be spending time with O'Sullivan this weekend. "No one has ever filled up the space between a near foreground and a vast distant horizon more completely." I can see that and also Burtynsky comparison, which is fascinating as you say because of the similarities, as well as the vast differences in the challenges they faced. These are amazing. Hope all is well with you and yours. Curtis
Tom,
Thanks for all this -- photos and notes on O'Sullivan --
"emotional tonalities shot all through his visions of deserts and rocks"
"the space between a near foreground and a vast distant horizon"
8.20
light coming into fog against invisible
ridge, still black shape of pine branch
in foreground, wave sounding in channel
which “looking for” subject,
room with equal light
conceived as image of image,
which will, that will
grey white of fog against top of ridge,
pelican flapping to the left toward it
Curtis,
Well, sometimes it feels as though what O'Sullivan is filling all that space up with is nothing but pure loneliness. This so interestingly subverts the ostensible grand patriotic purpose of the mission by investing the images with intense feelings of solitude. That colossal burden of space and scale weighing down upon the lonely human soul lost in the vast bleakness of the West -- you get a good sense of that in these images from his first expedition through Arizona and Nevada with Wheeler, two years earlier:
Dwarfed
(And with this next set you will notice the numbers inscribed on several of the prints à la the 3 on the rock at Apache lake.)
Steve,
Heavy gray overcast here, through which vague shapes begin to emerge as we speak, doubtless likewise "over there" (across the still sleeping body of the mountain), as if in a
room with equal light
conceived as image of image
Tom,
Yes of course, "heavy grey" still here too, didn't clear yesterday (or the day before) and might well not today either -- but an English sparrow has 'appeared' (which is reason for good cheer -- as is the fact that Johnny is here, asking "why are you still typing). . . .
Post a Comment