Photography

The millions of photographs in the Museum's collections compose a vast mosaic of the nation's history. Photographs accompany most artifact collections. Thousands of images document engineering projects, for example, and more record the steel, petroleum, and railroad industries.

Some 150,000 images capture the history, art, and science of photography. Nineteenth-century photography, from its initial development by W. H. F. Talbot and Louis Daguerre, is especially well represented and includes cased images, paper photographs, and apparatus. Glass stereographs and news-service negatives by the Underwood & Underwood firm document life in America between the 1890s and the 1930s. The history of amateur photography and photojournalism are preserved here, along with the work of 20th-century masters such as Richard Avedon and Edward Weston. Thousands of cameras and other equipment represent the technical and business side of the field.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
before 1833
referenced
Daguerre, Louis Jacques Mande
maker
Niepce, Joseph Nicephore
ID Number
PG.003113
catalog number
3113
accession number
282380
2 page handwritten letter from Eadweard Muybridge to the Editor of the Press, PhiladelphiaTranscription by Shannon Perich Nov 30 2018Letterhead: Eadweard Muybridge, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelpia, USAConfidential24 Nov 1887My Dear Sir,I shall feel much gratified if you w
Description
2 page handwritten letter from Eadweard Muybridge to the Editor of the Press, Philadelphia
Transcription by Shannon Perich Nov 30 2018
Letterhead: Eadweard Muybridge, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelpia, USA
Confidential
24 Nov 1887
My Dear Sir,
I shall feel much gratified if you will do me the favor of accepting the copy of the [?] edition of “Animal Locomotion”, which I will take the liberty of sending to your office this day.
I very much regret being unable to forward you the complete series of 781 plates; however, the few contained in this edition will perhaps serve to give you a general idea of the objects and scope of the larger one, which under the same Title is now in course of publication.
I no doubt you will quickly discover many faults and imperfections in the plates, but please to bear in mind that an attempt to produce a series of illustrations which should take [?] as works of high art formed no part of our promises nor of our intention; whatever artistic [realities?] any of the plates may happen to possess in themselves should be considered as accessories only to the main purposes of the investigation; but in whatever light they may be viewed they are apparently considered of necessity to the art student; and of equal importance to the scientist; which their value to the art connoisseur and their capability of assuring the interest of all levels of art works is evidenced in the more satisfactory manner by the rapidly increasing length of the subscription list.
To me it is a very agreeable reflection that this proposition for the execution of this work originated
[page 2]
[same letterhead]
in Philadelphia; and that its publication, which although in a new field of research is on a scale of magnitude and elaborateness unsurpassed by any work ever published, is due to the enlighted liberality of its citizens, and the generous encouragement fo the University of Pennsylvania.
My labor in the field of Zoopraxigraphy have been hitherto reviewed in a very flattering manner by you, in common with the press at large, and should you consider th results of my last in investigation worthy of any public comment, if you will cause it to be published some day between the 5th and the 14th of November, you will do me and especial favor; in the meanwhile should the prospectus and the catalogue fail to give all the information on the [?] you desire, I shall be mush pleased to give any further particulars at my command.
Thinking it possible you might experience more pleasure by looking over the remaining 760 plates I herewith enclose a card which will give you access to the volumes and
Yours Faithfully
Eadweard Muybridge
To the Editor of the Press Philadelphia
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1887-11-24
maker
Muybridge, Eadweard
ID Number
PG.001238
catalog number
1238
accession number
51945
Rudolf Eickemeyer, Jr. (1862–1932) used a wide variety of printing processes, printing out some negatives in more than one medium.
Description
Rudolf Eickemeyer, Jr. (1862–1932) used a wide variety of printing processes, printing out some negatives in more than one medium. In his lectures, he pointed out that this approach to photography was important because in the hands of a photographer who “lives and understands the infinitely varied moods of nature, photography can be made to express and interpret them.” In correspondence with Dr. Olmstead at the Smithsonian, as the presentation of his gifts and bequest to the museum was being arranged, Eickemeyer wrote: “The collection illustrates the use of every important process and will, I believe, be of real educational value.”
The first of the Eickemeyer photographic collection came to the National Museum’s Department of Arts and Industries (the “Castle”), Division of Graphic Arts in 1922 at the close of a large exhibition of Eickemeyer’s work at the Anderson Gallery in New York. It was a gift from the photographer of five framed prints from the New York show that he considered representative of his work.
In 1929, Eickemeyer gave the Smithsonian 83 framed prints (including copies of the prints that he had previously given the museum), 15 portfolios, his medals and awards, and several miscellaneous photographic paraphernalia. In 1930, he made a will bequeathing most of his remaining prints, negatives, photographic equipment and other objects relating to his 30-year career as a photographer to the Smithsonian Institution.
Upon Eickemeyer’s death in 1932, an accession consisting primarily of photographic equipment from his studio came to the Smithsonian. Included in the bequest were 2 cameras, several lenses, scales, timers, printing frames, plate holders, dry mounters and a lecture case with slide projector and hand-colored lantern slides. Also included were 43 albums, journals and portfolios and assorted negatives and contact prints, many marked “discards.” There are 58 albums, notebooks and portfolios in the collection. Eickemeyer requested in his will that his gifts and bequests be called The Rudolf Eickemeyer, Jr. Collection.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1906
maker
Eickemeyer, Jr., Rudolf
ID Number
PG.004135.B011.35
catalog number
4135.B11.35
accession number
128483
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1874-10-25
ID Number
PG.69.156.08
accession number
282783
catalog number
69.156.8
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1870s
ID Number
PG.69.156.01
accession number
282783
catalog number
69.156.1

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