Ferns, Valley Floor, Yosemite National Park, California

c. 1945, printed later

Ansel Adams

Associated Names
Ansel Adams

Artist, American, 1902 - 1984

The image shows a forest floor covered with ferns. The ferns are dense, creating a textured carpet of varying shades of gray. Tall grasses grow among the ferns, leading to a line of dark tree trunks. The viewpoint is slightly elevated, offering a clear view across the undulating terrain. The forest appears to continue deeper into the scene, with no distinct horizon. Light filters through the trees, hinting at an opening in the distance. The black-and-white palette highlights the contrast between the light ferns and the darker areas of the forest, emphasizing the textures in the scene.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Barbara W. Freeman

  • Dimensions

    image/sheet: 24.4 × 19.4 cm (9 5/8 × 7 5/8 in.)
    mount: 40.5 × 34.2 cm (15 15/16 × 13 7/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2020.156.1


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Ansel Adams Studio, Yosemite Valley; Barbara Freeman, Washington, DC, 1959/1960; gift to NGA, 2020.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

signed by artist, lower right below image in graphite: AA; on verso, center stamped in black ink: Special Edition / PHOTOGRAPHS of YOSEMITE / BY ANSEL ADAMS / Ferns, Valley Floor / Yosemite National Park, California


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