Accession Number
1983/1.295.1

Title
Wagon and Buildings

Artist(s)
George A. Tice

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1965; printed 1971

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
14 1/8 in x 11 in (35.88 cm x 27.94 cm);4 1/2 in x 5 13/16 in (11.43 cm x 14.76 cm);19 3/8 in x 14 3/8 in (49.21 cm x 36.51 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of the Marvin Felheim Collection

Subject matter
This print opens the portfolio Bodie, twelve photographs depicting various aspects of an abandoned gold town in eastern California. Wagon and Buildings provides a sense of the sweeping landscape in this part of the state, with weeds, low hills, and open, cloud-studded skies. At middle ground are two abandoned, late-nineteenth century wooden buildings, which huddle side by side like old friends. The foreground is dominated by a wagon, almost out of place in this desolate landscape, which draws attention to the passing of time. The emptiness of the environment offers a picturesque representation of the ghost town of Bodie, now a National Historic Landmark, as well as a commentary on the boom and bust cycle of American history. 

Physical Description
A photograph of two wooden buildings in a western landscape with a wagon in the foreground.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
buildings
cart
clouds
ghost towns
gold towns
grass
hills
landscapes (environments)
log houses
modern and contemporary art
wagons (cargo vehicles)
wheel