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Analog Photo TodayFILM PHOTOGRAPHY & ANALOG CAMERAS

Explorers Column, Cañon de Chelle, Arizona. This shaft is the work of nature, and is about 900 feet in height; base about 70 by 110 feet. It stands near the center of the Cañon, and it is almost impossible to believe that it is not the work of human hands, No. 23 from the series "Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian"

The Early Photography Archive presents public-domain photographs from the Art Institute of Chicago photography and media collection, with artist, process and dating context, drawn from the CC0 API and refreshed monthly. Every record links the museum page and adds technique family, origin region and era labels from our pipeline.

Records
4,070
Last changed
Update schedule
27 5 2 * * UTC
Coverage
03/03/2026–09/02/2026
Method
Methodology
Photograph
Explorers Column, Cañon de Chelle, Arizona. This shaft is the work of nature, and is about 900 feet in height; base about 70 by 110 feet. It stands near the center of the Cañon, and it is almost impossible to believe that it is not the work of human hands, No. 23 from the series "Geographical Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian"
Artist
Timothy O'Sullivan (American, born Ireland, 1840–1882) commissioned by George Wheeler for the War Department, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army
Date
1873
Technique
  • printing_dyeing
  • photography
Origin
Americas
On view
false