Selections from the Collection
Fannie E. Coburn (American, 1848–1928), Portrait of Alvin Langdon Coburn at the Grand Canyon, 1911, platinum print, image: 9 5/8 × 7 11/16 in. (24.5 × 19.6 cm); paper: 9 15/16 × 7 15/16 in. (25.3 × 20.2 cm). George Eastman Museum, bequest of the photographer.
Kusakabe Kimbei (Japanese, 1841–1934), Cherry‑Flower of Koganei (Nearly Tokyo), ca. 1890, albumen silver print with applied color, image: 8 3/8 × 10 3/4 in. (21.2 × 27.3 cm). George Eastman Museum, exchange with Daguerreian Era.
Lala Deen Dayal (Indian, 1844–1905), Street view of Laad Bazaar and the Charminar, Hyderabad, India, 1887, albumen silver print, image: 7 3/4 × 5 3/8 in. (19.7 × 13.6 cm). George Eastman Museum, gift of University of Rochester Library.
Unidentified maker, Woman in front of Leaning Tower of Pisa, September 20, 1951, gelatin silver print, image: 5 3/16 × 3 7/16 in. (13.2 × 8.8 cm); paper (irregular): 5 1/2 × 3 7/16 in. (13.9 × 8.8 cm). George Eastman Museum, gift of Peter J. Cohen.
Melissa Ann Pinney (American, b. 1953), Women’s Washroom, Disney World, Orlando Florida, 1998, from Regarding Emma, inkjet print, printed 2012, image: 8 7/8 × 13 1/4 in. (22.5 × 33.7 cm); paper: 11 × 14 in. (27.9 × 35.6 cm). George Eastman Museum, gift of Jeanne and Richard S. Press. © Melissa Ann Pinney.
Nick Marshall (American, b. 1984), Escapes (5) (Detail), from the series Escapes (1–7), 2013, chromogenic development print, 25 3/4 × 19 3/4 in. (65.4 × 50.2 cm). George Eastman Museum, gift of Stephen B. and Janice G. Ashley in honor of Steven Schwartz. © Nick Marshall. Courtesy of the artist.
Today, tourism is one of the biggest industries in the world, but traveling for pleasure reaches far back into history. This rotation in the Collection Gallery looks at how the invention of photography in 1839 helped to expand visual understanding of the world, especially for those without the means to travel. Additionally, the selection of objects from the museum’s photography and technology collections highlights how the history of photography has intersected with the evolution of tourism in the United States and abroad.
From views of the Victorian Grand Tour to snapshots from road trips on Route 66, the photographs—including travel albums, stereocards, daguerreotypes and woven inkjet prints—examine how photography and tourism influence each other. Works by Ansel Adams (American, 1902–1984) and Fannie E. Coburn (American, 1848–1928) highlight the impacts photography had on burgeoning tourism destinations following the creation of the National Park Service in the United States. Pieces by Shan Goshorn (American, Eastern Band of Cherokee, 1957–2018) and Lala Deen Dayal (Indian, 1844–1905) give us a lens into the cause and effect of cultural tourism, while photographs by Martin Parr (British, b. 1952) and Steve Fitch (American, b. 1949) show a comical side of tourist pictures.
Tourism and photographic technology were similarly interrelated. Camera designers advanced the concept of portable cameras from the earliest days of photography. The introduction of commercially manufactured gelatin dry plates in the 1880s increased the size of the amateur photographer market, and portable cameras were designed specifically for this emerging group.
Illustrating the changes in cameras for the tourist photographer, the selection on view includes the ca. 1882 Touriste, a folding dry plate magazine camera manufactured by E. Enjalbert of Paris; the ca. 1913 Tourist Multiple, one of the first 35mm cameras ever made; and the ca. 1925 Leica I Model A, which set the styling trend for 35mm cameras.
The display also includes a rare example of the original 1936 35mm Kodachrome film, Eastman Kodak Company’s first natural color film, whose high-contrast colors made it ideal for travel photography. Also on view is an example of the ca. 1938 Kodaslide Model 1 projector, the Kodak projector designed for use with Kodachrome transparencies (slides), and the Kodak Carousel Model 550 projector, ca. 1963.
Vault to Wall
What happens after an object is selected to be exhibited in the Collection Gallery? The process shown in this video is an overview of what goes into bringing an object from storage to display.
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.
Lily's Roadtrip Playlist
Enjoy this playlist created by the curator to pair with the exhibition.
