Plate 29. Bear River City, near the Coal Fields

1869

Andrew Joseph Russell

Associated Names
Andrew Joseph Russell

Artist, American, 1829 - 1902

Union Pacific Railroad

Publisher

The image shows a historical photograph of a settlement in a mountainous area. It features a dirt pathway lined with wooden structures and tents. Hills with sparse vegetation are seen in the background. The closest structures are made of logs and timber, with one building showing a sign that reads "RESTAURANT." A person stands at the entrance. More wooden buildings and commercial signs can be seen further along the path. The color palette is earthy with browns and grays, typical of sepia-toned photography. The composition leads the eye along the path to where the settlement merges with the landscape.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    albumen silver print

  • Credit Line

    Avalon Fund and New Century Fund

  • Dimensions

    image/sheet: 20.6 × 29.2 cm (8 1/8 × 11 1/2 in.)
    page size: 32.4 × 46 cm (12 3/4 × 18 1/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2016.155.1.29

  • Volume Title

    The Great West Illustrated in a Series of Photographic Views Across the Continent

Associated Artworks

See all 50 artworks
The image shows a railroad track running through a rocky landscape. The track starts from the bottom right corner and extends diagonally towards the center-left. The scene lacks a visible horizon, as rocky walls flank the track on both sides. A man is standing near the base of the rock face on the right side. The rocks are depicted in shades of gray and brown. Snow patches are visible along the track, with a pale, overcast beige sky above.

Plate 1. Carmichael's Cut, Granite Canon

Andrew Joseph Russell, Union Pacific Railroad

1869

This is a photograph of a vintage book cover. The cover is titled "Union Pacific Railroad Photographical Illustrations" in gold lettering, set against a brown background. The cover shows signs of age with worn edges and faded areas. The binding is leather and there are highlights of wear. The text is centrally aligned.

The Great West Illustrated in a Series of Photographic Views Across the Continent

Andrew Joseph Russell, Union Pacific Railroad

1869

The image shows a railway track stretching into the distance. The track is positioned towards the left edge of the image, running diagonally towards the horizon, which is placed around the upper third of the image. A small building sits on the horizon line, near the center of the image. The terrain on either side of the railway appears rocky and barren, with a few small pools of water visible to the left. The color palette is predominantly sepia tones, giving the image a vintage appearance.

Plate 2. Granite Canon, from the Water Tank

Andrew Joseph Russell, Union Pacific Railroad

1869

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Stephen Loewentheil, Brooklyn, NY); NGA purchase, 2016.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2019

  • The Eye of the Sun: Nineteenth-Century Photographs from the National Gallery of Art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2019, unnumbered catalogue.

Inscriptions

bottom center of mount, printed in black ink: PLATE 29. / BEAR RIVER CITY, NEAR THE COAL FIELDS.

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