Adrienne Lundgren.
“Despite his prolific career as the first US federal photographer, John Wood has been largely forgotten…
Adrienne Lundgren, senior photograph conservator at the Library of Congress, explores how Wood's life shaped his photographic eye and examines innovative techniques that made him a pioneer among his contemporaries, including his use of uncommonly large format plates and his experimentation with the dry collodion process. The book includes an enriching foreword from Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, and not only celebrates the artistic and technical merit of Wood's photos, but also chronicles the fascinating evolution of early photography and the federal government's use of the medium to shape public understanding of the American experience.
Magnificent Intentions shines the spotlight on a little-known photographer with a masterful collection. From getting dispatched to the frontlines to photograph maps for General George B. McClellan to witnessing the installation of the Statue of Freedom atop the Capitol dome, Wood captured significant moments of the mid-19th century. His photos document the construction of transformative buildings that reflected a country with its eye on the future, even as it was gripped by the Civil War.”
Hardcover, 216 pages — Smithsonian Institution Press — April 2024— $55.00. Available at Amazon.
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