The image shows a stereoscopic view from the summit of Mount Washington. The viewer's perspective is slightly elevated, looking out over a rugged landscape of rocks and wooden planks that lead the eye towards a series of mountain ranges extending into the distance. The horizon sits fairly high in the image, marked by a line where the peaks meet the overcast sky. The style of the photograph is straightforward, with a soft focus on the distant mountains, giving a hazy effect typical of early photographic techniques. The overall color palette is monochromatic, with shades of gray and sepia giving the scene a muted and timeless quality. The clouds above add texture to the sky, providing contrast to the solid, dark forms of the mountains below.
Read the visual description

The image shows a stereoscopic view from the summit of Mount Washington. The viewer's perspective is slightly elevated, looking out over a rugged landscape of rocks and wooden planks that lead the eye towards a series of mountain ranges extending into the distance. The horizon sits fairly high in the image, marked by a line where the peaks meet the overcast sky. The style of the photograph is straightforward, with a soft focus on the distant mountains, giving a hazy effect typical of early photographic techniques. The overall color palette is monochromatic, with shades of gray and sepia giving the scene a muted and timeless quality. The clouds above add texture to the sky, providing contrast to the solid, dark forms of the mountains below.

National Gallery of Art · Photograph

"Mt. Kearsarge and Double Head, from Mt. Washington"

American 19th Century

Date
c. 1860
Medium
stereoscopic albumen silver prints
Dimensions
image/sheet (each): 8.1 × 7.6 cm (3 3/16 × 3 in.) mount: 8.8 × 17.6 cm (3 7/16 × 6 15/16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Accession number
2012.114.6
Credit line
Gift of Charles Isaacs and Carol Nigro
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CPH

Subjects and terms

  • American
  • albumen silver print
  • Mountain
  • New Hampshire
  • landscape
  • Stereograph
Provenance

Charles Isaacs and Carol Nigro, New York; gift to NGA, 2012.

Inscription

lower right of mount printed in black ink: Mt. Kearsarge and Double Head, from Mt. Washington.

NGA object ID 159644. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.