Devil's Spine, Coos Bay, Oregon
1962
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 11.8 × 8.8 cm (4 5/8 × 3 7/16 in.) mount: 25.5 × 19.1 cm (10 1/16 × 7 1/2 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Gift of Sharon Keim)
Accession Number
2015.19.5078.9
Art Historical Context
In 1962, renowned American photographer Minor White captured *Devil's Spine,os Bay, Oregon*, striking gelatin silver print that exemplifies his mastery of black-and-white photography. Measuring a intimate 11.8 × 8.8 cm on its mount, this image draws from the rugged Pacific Northwest coastline, where dramatic natural formations like the titular "Devil's Spinelikely a jagged rock ridge—evoke a sense of raw power and mystery. White, a pivotal figure in mid-20th-century photography co-founded *Aperture* magazine and championed the Zone System, a technique for precise tonal control that allowed him...
About the Artist
Minor White
Minor White (1908–1976) was an American photographer, editor, and educator who became one of the most influential figures in postwar American art photography. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he studied botany and English at the University of Minnesota before turning to photography in the late 1930s, working for the WPA and the Portland Art Museum. After serving in World War II, White studied at C...