Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, California

Accession Number
1988/1.89

Title
Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, California

Artist(s)
Ansel Adams

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1944; printed 1980

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
15 5/8 in x 19 3/16 in (39.69 cm x 48.74 cm);22 1/16 in x 28 1/16 in (56.04 cm x 71.28 cm);26 1/8 in x 32 1/8 in (66.36 cm x 81.6 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Harry H. Lunn, Jr.

Subject matter
Photographed from a distance, this photograph depicts a winter storm as it sweeps through Yosemite’s mountainous valley. Represented in soft sweeping tones, the atmospheric turbulence of the storm envelopes the distant mountain peaks, a low lying cloud bank illuminated by sunshine beyond. Spilling over a distant ridge to the right of the photograph, a waterfall shines brightly in a patch of sunshine that’s broken through the clouds of the storm. Spanning across the valley floor, a multitude of pine trees seem to flow between the ridges. The valley’s expanse and spatial vastness speak to the immensity of the meteorological event, and lend a sublime power to the image.

Physical Description
The photograph depicts a wide view of a mountainous valley in winter with a storm sweeping through its interior in the distance. To the right, a waterfall spills over a ridge.

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
clouds
modern and contemporary art
mountains
national parks
natural landscapes
nature photography
snow
snow (precipitation)
snowstorms
storms
trees
valleys (landforms)
waterfalls (natural bodies of water)
winter

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted