Ansel Adams photograph collection

Collection

Identifier: PC-RM-Adams

Staff Only

Content Description

Contains 26 black and white photographic prints taken by Ansel Easton Adams. Dates of creation of photographs is unknown, although notations on backs of some photographs indicate they were taken prior to 1936. Photographs show nature and landscape scenes in the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite Valley, and Sequoia National Park; portraits of Sigmund Stern, Charles E. Wood, Domenico Brescia, Ina Coolbrith and Erich Leinsdorf; and city scenes of San Francisco. There are two sets of photographs of murals. The first set is two panoramas made up of five prints depicting murals done by Gottardo Piazzoni that were displayed at the San Francisco Public Library; the second is three photographic prints of a Diego Rivera mural, Still Life and Blossoming Almond Trees, displayed at the Stern residence in Atherton, California. There are two photographs Adams took for the American Trust Company, one shows a pioneer family in New Melony, California, the other a view of Gilroy Valley from Fremont Peak. Many of the photographs were gifts from Ansel Adams to Albert M. Bender, given between 1927 and 1936.

Dates

circa 1936

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust (AAPRT) holds copyright to all works by Ansel Adams. For copyright clearance and permission to use images from the Ansel Adams photographs held at the California Historical Society. For information about obtaining permission please see the Center for Creative Photography.

Biographical / Historical

Ansel Easton Adams was born in San Francisco on February 20, 1902. Adams started photographing nature scenes around 1919 while a Sierra Club member. In 1927 Adams came under the patronage of Albert M. Bender, who helped Adams publish his first portfolio. Widely known as a photographer of natural landscapes, most especially for his images of the Sierra Nevada and Yosemity Valley, Adams was also an environmental perservationist. In 1974 Adams had a major retrospective exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Adams died in Monterey, California on April 22, 1984.

Extent

2.60 Linear Feet (1 half legal document box and 1 flat box)

Additional Description

Abstract

Contains 26 black and white photographic prints taken by Ansel Easton Adams. Date of creation of photographs is unknown, although notations on back of some photographs indicate they were taken prior to 1936. Photographs include nature and landscape scenes; portraits; and city scenes of San Francisco. There are two sets of photographs showing murals by Diego Rivera and Gottardo Piazzoni. Also includes two photographs Adams took for the American Trust Company.