Selections from the Collection
Melissa Ann Pinney (American, b. 1953), Baby Allison, 1999. Chromogenic development print, printed 2003
Larry Gianettino (American, 1956–2002), Sleeping Lamb, 1994. Silver dye bleach print
Unidentified maker, [Father holding two laughing children], ca. 1860. Ambrotype
Eliot Porter (American, 1901–1990), Barn Swallow, 1954. From In Wildness is the Preservation of the World. Dye imbibition print
Frederic E. Ives (American, 1856–1937), [Girl with doll], 1916. Polychrome print
Elaine O'Neil (American, b. 1946), Tiger Balm Gardens, Hong Kong, 1987. Gelatin silver print, printed 1988
We’re pleased to present the newest rotation of objects from the photography collection in the Collection Gallery beginning April 29. While previous displays have been thematic, we will be sharing a wider variety of objects in the rotations going forward, while still highlighting the breadth and depth of the museum’s photograph holdings. Visitors will continue to find iconic images and works by well-known photographers while also discovering some hidden gems and delightful surprises. Additionally, the chronological framework will remain, demonstrating that the history of the medium is varied and flexible, never static, and full of opportunities for discovery. For this nineteenth rotation, Stephanie Hofner, collection manager in the Department of Photography, worked with her four-year-old daughter Sawyer to select objects.
As a photographic historian, Stephanie has researched many rare early color photographic processes, which is evident in this selection. Some examples not to be missed in the upcoming rotation include an experimental polychrome print by Frederic E. Ives (American, 1856–1937), which he used to demonstrate how a three-color image could be produced from two-color-separation negatives. Similarly, an image by Jeannette Klute (American, 1918–2009) shows some of the work she accomplished as head of the Visual Research Studio at Eastman Kodak Company. As one of the few women to hold a technical position in the company at that time, Klute manipulated her photographs to create disorienting and dreamlike views of everyday objects.
An emphasis on family-friendly content can also be found thanks to Stephanie and Sawyer’s collaboration. Images of children with their parents abound, including an Ambrotype from the 1860s, where the two laughing children are blurred in the image. Additionally, images of animals (both real and toy) are scattered throughout the selection, allowing entry points for adults and children to engage in conversations about photography at any level.
About the Collection Gallery
The George Eastman Museum photography collection is among the best and most comprehensive in the world. With holdings that include objects ranging in date from the announcement of the medium’s invention in 1839 to the present day, the collection represents the full history of photography. Works by renowned masters of the medium exist side-by-side with vernacular and scientific photographs. The collection also includes all applications of the medium, from artistic pursuit to commercial enterprise and from amateur pastime to documentary record, as well as all types of photographic processes, from daguerreotypes to digital prints.
The museum's Collection Gallery is dedicated to rotating installations that demonstrate photography’s historical trajectory through photographs and cameras drawn from the collection. The selection of photographs changes regularly, and each rotation offers new opportunities to engage with the museum's treasures.
The Collection Gallery is sponsored in part by ESL Federal Credit Union.
For videos and a glossary of the photographic processes, visit eastman.org/processglossary.
360 Virtual Tour
Explore this exhibition virtually, complete with all text and full-sized images. Navigation tip: To see the work in greater detail, simply click on the image for it to expand to full screen.
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