Monolith, the Face of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, California

Accession Number
1981/2.160

Title
Monolith, the Face of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, California

Artist(s)
Ansel Adams

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1927, printed 1981

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
28 in x 22 in (71.12 cm x 55.88 cm);19 1/8 in x 14 3/8 in (48.58 cm x 36.51 cm);32 1/4 in x 26 3/16 in (81.92 cm x 66.52 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Harry H. Lunn, Jr.

Subject matter
This photograph depicts the steep façade of Half Dome, in Yosemite Valley, California, and was created from an angle close to its summit. Looming upwards into a deep black sky, the monolithic cliff face slopes down through the center of the picture, creating a composition divided by a series of bold, diagonal, tonal shapes. The mountain’s monumentality is emphasized by these dramatic angels, and suggests an almost fluid, wave-like swelling in the striated granite. The deep, sonorous blackness of the sky creates a stark contrast between the sunlit granite and brilliant white snow, and lends a brooding majesty to the image. 

Physical Description
Photographed near the summit of a snowy mountian peak, this photograph depicts a steep cliff sloping down through the center of the frame.

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
California
Yosemite Valley
cliffs
domes
granite (rock)
modern and contemporary art
mountain ranges
national parks
rock (inorganic material)
snow

15 Related Resources

Politics, and Social Reform in the US, 1901-1950
(Part of 6 Learning Collections)
California
(Part of 2 Learning Collections)
Landscape and Nature, Comparative and Historical
(Part of 3 Learning Collections)
Monuments and Memorials
(Part of 4 Learning Collections)
Nature in Photography
(Part of 3 Learning Collections)
Tourism
(Part of 9 Learning Collections)
Adventure
(Part of 3 Learning Collections)
PAST: ENGLISH 124 sec 006: The Spirit of Adventure
(Part of: FFW Lower Level Study Cases     )

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted