Edwin Hale Lincoln (American, 1848-1938), Cypripedium reginae in swamp – An Orchid in Habitat, "Orchids of the North Eastern United States" portfolio, 1931, platinum print, gift of Richard and Susan Nunley

« previous 4 of 8

Peter Henry Emerson and American Naturalistic Photography

Saturday, May 3, 2008—Sunday, September 7, 2008
Harrison Photography Gallery 365
Free Exhibition

Peter Henry Emerson (1856-1936) was a leading nineteenth-century English photographer who spearheaded a style he termed “naturalistic photography.” He argued for photography as a fine art, encouraged his colleagues to use nature as their standard, and introduced the theory of “differential focusing,” whereby the main subject was in focus and everything else fell off into moderate softness.

Many young Americans admired Emerson’s work, forming a movement of naturalistic photography in this country that lasted from the 1890s to about 1930. Like Emerson, they emphasized the beauty of Mother Nature and humankind’s harmony with her. They photographed the land in all its seasons, as well as the devoted individuals who lived on and off it.

This exhibition was organized by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and comprises 90 photographs, drawn largely from the permanent collection. Among those represented are Edward Curtis, Rudolf Eickemeyer, Alfred Stieglitz, and Doris Ulmann. The show is accompanied by the first major book on the subject and will travel to museums in University Park, Pennsylvania, and Roanoke, Virginia.

Related lecture:

"P. H. Emerson and the Invention of Naturalistic Photography"

By Bonnie Yochelson

Saturday, May 10, at 6 p.m., in Pillsbury Auditorioum.

Admission: $5; free for MIA members. Call (612) 870-6323 for tickets.