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
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0022
catalog number
2012.0256.0022
accession number
2012.0256
The old Church of Cholula, Mexico; stone church with a single two tiered tower at center; agave (?) plants in foregroundCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
The old Church of Cholula, Mexico; stone church with a single two tiered tower at center; agave (?) plants in foreground
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1870s
maker
Kilburn Brothers
ID Number
2012.3033.0158
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0158
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0013
accession number
2012.0256
catalog number
2012.0256.0013
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0005
catalog number
2012.0256.0005
accession number
2012.0256
Aztec "God of War," Mexico; stone sculpture on platform with carved stone head and stone wheel at base; building in backgroundCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
Aztec "God of War," Mexico; stone sculpture on platform with carved stone head and stone wheel at base; building in background
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1870s
maker
Kilburn Brothers
ID Number
2012.3033.0161
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0161
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0001
catalog number
2012.0256.0001
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0002
catalog number
2012.0256.0002
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0018
accession number
2012.0256
catalog number
2012.0256.0018
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0017
accession number
2012.0256
catalog number
2012.0256.0017
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0014
accession number
2012.0256
catalog number
2012.0256.0014
Stereo view by San Antonio View Company of five figures sitting on the sidewalk of dirt road. The figure on the far right of the frame is a man and the other four are all women. The women all have cages in front of them on the ground.
Description (Brief)
Stereo view by San Antonio View Company of five figures sitting on the sidewalk of dirt road. The figure on the far right of the frame is a man and the other four are all women. The women all have cages in front of them on the ground. The man has basket upon which his right arm is placed. On recto in the bottom left side of the image on the right there is a hand-written inscription that reads "Mexican Bird Sellers". Stamped on verso: "Setereoscopic Views, / of San Antonio, Texas / by the / San Antonio View Company / F. Hardesty Photographer" Below that there is a chart that lists a variety of other locations that stereoscopes had been made by this company. Below the chart, stamped it reads: "All from Original Negatives and Guaranteed the Finest / ever Made in the South. Also A Large Variety of Miscellaneous Views / of San Antonio, and Vicinity." Below that reads, "Parties wishing Special Views made anywhere will please address:- / F. Hardesty / 32 North Flores Street. (near Military Plaza,) / San Antonio, Texas." Handwritten in pencil on verso in the top left: "OL / T-MM"
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Hardesty, Frank
ID Number
2012.3033.0028
catalog number
2012.3033.0028
nonaccession number
2012.3033
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0011
catalog number
2012.0256.0011
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0003
catalog number
2012.0256.0003
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0012
catalog number
2012.0256.0012
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0010
catalog number
2012.0256.0010
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0019
accession number
2012.0256
catalog number
2012.0256.0019
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0021
catalog number
2012.0256.0021
accession number
2012.0256
Tree of Montezuma, Mexico most likely in the Bosque de Chapultepec; large tree dominating photograph with a man standing underneath of canopyCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
Tree of Montezuma, Mexico most likely in the Bosque de Chapultepec; large tree dominating photograph with a man standing underneath of canopy
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1870s
maker
Kilburn Brothers
ID Number
2012.3033.0156
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0156
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0004
catalog number
2012.0256.0004
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0016
accession number
2012.0256
catalog number
2012.0256.0016
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0009
catalog number
2012.0256.0009
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0007
catalog number
2012.0256.0007
accession number
2012.0256
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ehrlich, Richard
ID Number
2012.0256.0020
accession number
2012.0256
catalog number
2012.0256.0020
Grove of Montezuma, Chapultepec, Mexico most likely in the Bosque de Chapultepec;Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Grove of Montezuma, Chapultepec, Mexico most likely in the Bosque de Chapultepec;
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1870s
maker
Kilburn Brothers
ID Number
2012.3033.0155
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0155

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