Geographical & Geological Explorations & Surveys West of the 100th Meridian
1871/73
Medium
Albumen prints in two bound albums
Dimensions
40 × 53 × 4 cm (overall, Vol. 1); 51 × 41.5 × 5.7 cm (overall, Vol. 2)
Classification
albumen silver print
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
11289
Art Historical Context
In the post-Civil War era of American expansion, Timothy O'Sullivan's *Geographical & Geological Explor & Surveys West of the100th Meridian* (1871/73) the raw majesty of the untamed American West. As a pioneering photographer embedded in government surveys led by Lieutenant George Wheeler, O'Sullivan documented arid landscapes, towering rock formations, and ancient ruins across territories west of the 100th—from Nevada's deserts to Colorado's canyons. These, part of a national push to map resources for railroads, mining, and settlement under Manifest Destiny, transformed photography from studi...
About the Artist
Timothy O'Sullivan · 1840–1882
Timothy H. O'Sullivan (c. 1840–1882) emerged as one of America's pioneering photographers during a transformative era. His early life remains sparsely documented, with records suggesting he was born either in New York City or Ireland before immigrating young, possibly growing up on Staten Island. As a teenager, he apprenticed under Mathew Brady at his Fulton Street gallery in New York, mastering w...