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This is a photograph of individuals engaged in the task of sorting pieces of slate from piles of rock in an industrial setting. The individuals are wearing laborious work clothes, and the photograph is in sepia tone.
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This is a photograph of individuals engaged in the task of sorting pieces of slate from piles of rock in an industrial setting. The individuals are wearing laborious work clothes, and the photograph is in sepia tone.

National Gallery of Art · Photograph

Albert Barnes, "Picking Slate"

William J. Harris

Date
1890s
Medium
gelatin silver print (real photo postcard)
Dimensions
image: 9.8 × 14 cm (3 7/8 × 5 1/2 in.) sheet: 9.8 × 14.8 cm (3 7/8 × 5 13/16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Accession number
2023.146.93
Credit line
The Ross J. Kelbaugh Collection
Time span
1876 to 1900
Department
CPH
Original NGA record

Subjects and terms

  • portrait
  • American
  • gelatin silver print
  • Labor
  • Pennsylvania
  • Boy
  • Postcard
Provenance

Ross Kelbaugh, Marriottsville, MD; gift to NGA, 2023.

Inscription

signed by artist, bottom right in negative: W.J. HARRIS, PITTSTON, PA.; by unknown hand, center in negative: PICKING SLATE.; by unknown hand, along right edge next to image in graphite: Albert Barnes Scranton Pa; on verso, by Ross Kelbaugh, top right in graphite: 18.4.EB KL076; along left edge printed in black ink: PHOTO SERIES, W J. HARRIS, PUBR., / W. PITTSON [sic], PA., AND LAKE HOPATCONG, N. J.

NGA object ID 227369. 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.