Accession Number
1984/1.269

Title
Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Artist(s)
Ansel Adams

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1942; printed 1980

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
15 1/4 in x 19 3/16 in (38.74 cm x 48.74 cm);26 1/8 in x 32 1/8 in (66.36 cm x 81.6 cm);15 1/2 in x 19 9/16 in (39.37 cm x 49.69 cm);22 in x 28 in (55.88 cm x 71.12 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Harry H. Lunn, Jr. in honor of Professor James Robertson

Subject matter
Taken from a high vantage point, this photograph depicts a section the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The Martian-like slopes and gorges descend to unseen depths, their stratified façades hewn from eons of erosion. Small shrubs cling to the ridges and gleam brightly in the desert sun. Sharply focused, the view offers, with sumptuous clarity, the textured stratum of the canyon. Overlapping in front of one another, the cliffs recede into the far distance, eventually becoming enveloped in a hazy lightness. The photograph is composed by these overlapping ridges, which stretch horizontally across one another, the cliffs closest to the foreground retaining the richest range of tones and clarity. Despite their diversity of form and texture, the cliffs resemble one another. This disorienting spatial effect underscores the immensity of the vista and the vastness of the space represented.  

Physical Description
Taken from a high vantage point, this photograph depicts a view of a vast desert canyon. The ridges of the canyon extend into 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
Colorado
canyons
cliffs
deserts
modern and contemporary art
national parks
rocky deserts