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Category: Photographs

Black-and-white photograph shows close-up view of black kitten with arched back.

Purr-fectly Charming Black Cats

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Whether you think black cats are spooky, good luck, or simply adorable companions, the many images featuring these striking felines in the collections are evidence that photographers and other artists have found them compelling since at least the 19th century. This photograph by Arthur Rothstein highlights the tonal contrast between the cat’s dark fur and …

View of miners in rectangular box angled downward, with wooden infrastructure surrounding them.

Copper Mining and Its Monumental Structures

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

The following is a guest post by Ryan Brubacher, Reference Specialist, Prints & Photographs Division. I recently returned from an information-soaked conference in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where I toured and learned about structures related to the fascinating history of the copper mining industry in the Keweenaw area. When I came home, the experience …

All Aboard for Pikes Peak

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

In my most recent selection of railroad-related images on Flickr, All Aboard!, the photo that received the most attention was this one of the Manitou & Pike’s Peak Railway. I’m imagining the seemingly backwards and tilted locomotive drew some curiousity. This is a cog railway, used to climb steep grades. The boiler in this steam …

Color photograph shows open kitchen cupboard with four shelves containing various spices on bottom three shelves and glass dishes on the top shelf. The cabinets and walls are white.

Everything Including the Kitchen Sink

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Many of us spend a considerable amount of time in the kitchen, a space that can serve both a utilitarian and a social function. The Prints & Photographs Division collections provide great images of kitchen spaces that highlight prepared food, architectural elements, and the labor that goes into ensuring our nourishment. The photograph below shows …

More Images Newly Digitized

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

The work of scanning, cataloging, and sharing our collection of images with the world is never ceasing in the Prints & Photographs Division. Digitization work brings to light both recently acquired and long-held items from the collections. I periodically browse our newly digitized images to see what is now available. I was particularly taken by …

Side view, from above, of tan colored boxes that include small thumbnail images of 19th century photos on top of boxes. Handwritten call numbers for the images are also visible on the boxes.

Behind the Scenes: Exploring the Historic and Aesthetic Value of Photographs

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

The following is an interview with Ramon Jr. Salado Romo, Stanford in Government Liljenquist Fellow in the Prints & Photographs Division. Melissa: Thanks for talking with us. Can you describe your background and how you came to this internship? Ramon: I grew up in Southern California in the Coachella Valley region. After high school I …

Teenage boy wearing a denim jacket styles younger boy's hair in kitchen, with stove top visible in background and sink and counter visible in foreground and at right.

Ryan White: Through the Lens of Taro Yamasaki

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

The following is a guest post by Adam M. Silvia, Curator of Photography in the Prints & Photographs Division. On August 18th, 1990, the U.S. Congress passed the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, which allocated federal funds to support the treatment of AIDS.  To commemorate the 34th anniversary of this legislation and celebrate its …

Powder Horn or Map? Both!

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

One of the photos I chose for my recent Flickr album, All Over the Map, caught my attention not just for the image, but also the associated title. This 1930 news photo from the Harris & Ewing Collection says, as part of its original caption: “Quite a contrast between the modern map in the background …

A Giant Visitor to New York City

Posted by: Kristi Finefield

In 1906, New York photographer A.B. Phelan created several photomontages of an oversized man looming over parts of New York City. He accomplished this feat by skillfully combining two photos into one wonderful ‘trick’ photo. Lucky for us, he submitted them for copyright registration and the montage photos made their way into the Library’s permanent …