Historic Spanish Record of the Conquest, South Side of Inscription Rock, N.M.
Medium
Albumen print, from the album "Geographical & Geological Explorations & Surveys West of the 100th Meridian," vol. 1
Dimensions
Image/paper: 20.3 × 27.4 cm (8 × 10 13/16 in.); Mount: 40.7 × 50.7 cm (16 1/16 × 20 in.)
Classification
albumen silver print
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
140435
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Following the end of the American Civil War, the United States Congress sponsored several major expeditions to chart the western lands, still largely unknown in terms of geography and resources. Such surveys brought together scientists, topographers, and photographers to document their findings. In 1871 Timothy O'Sullivan, who had proven his proficiency in field photography during the war and on an earlier western expedition, was asked by George M. Wheeler to join a government survey of lands we...
About the Artist
Timothy O'Sullivan · 1840–1882
Timothy H. O'Sullivan (c. 1840–1882) emerged as one of America's pioneering photographers during a transformative era. His early life remains sparsely documented, with records suggesting he was born either in New York City or Ireland before immigrating young, possibly growing up on Staten Island. As a teenager, he apprenticed under Mathew Brady at his Fulton Street gallery in New York, mastering w...