The South Side of Inscription Rock
Medium
Albumen print, from the album "Geographical & Geological Explorations & Surveys West of the 100th Meridian," vol. 2
Dimensions
Image/paper: 20.2 × 27.6 cm (8 × 10 7/8 in.); Album page: 38.3 × 49.9 cm (15 1/8 × 19 11/16 in.)
Classification
albumen print from collodion negative
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
181380
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Timothy O’Sullivan’s “The South Side of Inscription Rock,” created in 1873, captures a striking view of the sandstone monolith now known as El Morro in present-day New Mexico. The image belongs to the Wheeler Survey’s official report, a government-sponsored effort to map and document lands west of the 100th meridian. O’Sullivan, already experienced from earlier Civil War photography, traveled with the expedition, using his camera to record geological formations, ancient petroglyphs, and Spanish inscriptions that mark centuries of human passage. Printed as an albumen photograph from a wet-collodion negative, the work exemplifies the demanding techniques of early field photography. The process required preparing glass plates on-site under extreme conditions, yet it yielded the fine detail and tonal richness seen in the rock’s textured surface and surrounding desert expanse. Such prints formed an essential visual record for scientists and policymakers alike. Beyond its documentary purpose, the photograph reveals O’Sullivan’s eye for balanced composition. The massive cliff fills the frame while subtle human traces—tiny figures or carved markings—invite viewers to consider the layered history embedded in the Western landscape.
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...