
Image: ‘Inspiration Point – Yosemite Valley.’ 1861-1875
We are delighted to announce our latest online exhibition: Through the lens of Carleton Watkins.
The online exhibition showcases a number of stunning images by Carleton Watkins, one of the most important practitioners in the history of photography, yet with relatively little public acclaim.
Perhaps best known for his sequence of images of Yosemite, which would lead to the foundation of the first national park in the US, Watkins inspired later photographers such as Ansel Adams in his pursuit of making thought-provoking, dramatic, and awe-inspiring images of the natural environment.
Watkins’ aesthetic, coupled with his remarkable skills as an innovator, changed the course of photographic history. His story of early success is tinged by the fact that so much of his original work and archive were ultimately lost and his contribution overlooked. The Society is fortunate to have a sequence of Watkins’ original ‘mammoth plate’ prints in our Collections which tell the story of this remarkable photographer and his passion for landscape photography.
View Through the lens of Carleton Watkins
See our other online exhibitions.