Infernal Rock, Chincha Islands
ca. 1870
Medium
Albumen silver print from glass negative
Dimensions
Image: 18.4 x 25.3 cm (7 1/4 x 9 15/16 in.)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gilman Collection, Purchase, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Gift, through Joyce and Robert Menschel, 2005
Accession Number
2005.100.924
Tags
Art Historical Context
Captured around 1870, *Infernal Rock, Chincha Islands* is an albumen silver print from a glass negative, a technique prized in the nineteenth century for its fine detail and tonal richness. Attributed to photographer John Moran, the image portrays a stark, rugged outcrop rising from the sea off Peru’s coast. The albumen process allowed Moran to convey the texture of weathered stone and the play of light across the barren scene with remarkable clarity, transforming a remote geological formation into a compelling visual document. The Chincha Islands were then at the center of a global guano tra...
About the Artist
Unknown|John Moran
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...