What first catches my eyes in Gertrude Käsebier’s 1913 photograph is the streaming sunshine illuminating the interior scene while one bold slant of sunlight has entered the room through the open screen door: Next, as I survey the five people gathered near the open door, the sailor’s attire worn by the four male figures prompts me to wonder: …
The January 1848 chance discovery of gold in northern California rapidly altered the course of America. On this day, August 19, in 1848, word finally reached the East Coast, when the New York Herald published a report of the discovery. By 1849, the rush was on in earnest, leading to the well-known term for gold …
Get your scissors, glue, and a lot of patience ready, because today I bring you a D.I.Y. project from the 19th century. (A basic grasp of French – or access to an online translator – might also come in handy!) Part of a series of “Petites Constructions” created by the French company Pellerin & Cie, …
The following is a guest post by Verna Curtis, Curator of Photography, Prints and Photographs Division, assisted by Eiichi Ito, Reference Specialist in the Asian Division, and Tomoko Steen, Reference Specialist in the Science, Technology and Business Division. Two years ago, a small, old booklet caught my eye when it arrived in the Prints and …