Carleton Watkins
1829–1916 · United States
The American West on the scale of a large negative.
The story
Carleton Watkins photographed landscapes of the American West, particularly Yosemite, using very large-format negatives. His work extends beyond places considered wilderness: cities, transport routes and mining activities also appear. Together, these images allow us to consider the landscape’s monumentality alongside the economic changes that accompanied the conquest and exploitation of the territory.
Understanding the work
Identify the viewpoint, the layers of depth and tiny signs of human activity. A spectacular view can also document how land is used.
Key works and series
Views of Yosemite; Columbia River; San Francisco; California mines.
Sources & further exploration
Works in collections.
10 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
- MoMA · c. 1875
San Francisco from Telegraph Hill: The Golden Gate and Alcatraz and the Bay
Albumen silver prints
