Half Dome, Merced River, Winter, Yosemite Valley, California

Accession Number
1987/1.171

Title
Half Dome, Merced River, Winter, Yosemite Valley, California

Artist(s)
Ansel Adams

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1938; printed 1980

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
14 11/16 in x 19 5/16 in (37.31 cm x 49.05 cm);26 3/16 in x 32 3/16 in (66.52 cm x 81.76 cm);22 3/16 in x 28 1/16 in (56.36 cm x 71.28 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Harry H. Lunn, Jr.

Subject matter
This photograph depicts a scenic view of Half Dome, in Yosemite Valley, California, during wintertime. Rising above a tranquil river with snow-covered banks, the windswept granite dome gleams brightly in the sunshine. Located in the center of the frame, the lightest part of the image are the snowy slopes of Half Dome. The sunlit mountain is framed by the darkness of the pine trees situated below, which create a dark compositional band speckled with the whiteness of snow-laden branches. The crisp focus of the photograph enables one to see a panoply of textures in the scene; from the windswept face of Half Dome, the softness of the light-dappled snow banks, to the gentle ripples across the river’s surface. The central composition, the symmetry of the image, and the undisturbed snow lend the image a sense of majestic silence and stillness. 

Physical Description
The photograph depicts a river lined with snow-covered banks and pine trees and a snow-capped mountain rising in the distance.  

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
domes
granite (rock)
modern and contemporary art
mountains
national parks
natural landscapes
nature photography
riverbanks
rivers
snow
trees
winter

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted