Early Photography Archive
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.
| Photograph | Artist | Date | Technique | Origin | On view |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grotto Spring, Grand Cañon, Colorado River, No. 4 from the series "Explorations and Surveys West of the 100th Meridian" | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Utah Ute Indian and Lady "Courting" in N.E. Utah, from the U.S. Topographical and Geological Survey of the Colorado River of the West | Attributed to John K. Hillers American, born Germany, 1843–1925 | 1871/74 |
| Americas | false |
| Malakoff Diggings, North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Co., Nevada County, No. 1820 from the series "Watkins' Pacific Coast" | Carleton E. Watkins American, 1829-1916 | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Court House, seen through ruins of Fifth National Bank, No. 13 from the series "Among the Ruins in Chicago" | Lovejoy & Foster American, active 1870s | 1871 |
| Americas | false |
| Skirmish between a Prussian Reconnaissance unit and Advance Troops from Faidherbe’s Army (Amiens, 21 January 1871) (Escarmouche entre une Reconnaissance prussienne et une Avant-Garde de l'Armee de Faidherbe [Amiens, 21 Janvier 1871]) | Artist unknown European, active 19th century | January 21, 1871 |
| Europe | false |
| Renan | Antoine Samuel Adam-Salomon French, 1811–1881 | c. 1976 |
| Europe | false |
| Untitled (Portrait of Two Standing Men) | Unknown maker American, 19th century | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled (Group Portrait of People in a Park) | Unknown maker American, 19th century | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Anne Thackeray Ritchie | Julia Margaret Cameron English, 1815–1879 | May 1870 |
| Europe | false |
| Untitled (Letter from Andrew Jackson, Washington, December 26, 1836) | Unknown maker American, 19th century | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Mrs. Thackeray Ritchie | Julia Margaret Cameron English, 1815–1879 | 1870, printed c. 1893 |
| Europe | false |
| Le Neptune, Place Saint-Pierre à Montmartre | Nadar (Gaspard Félix Tournachon) French, 1820–1910 | September 23, 1870 |
| Europe | false |
| A Study of the Beatrice Cenci | Julia Margaret Cameron English, 1815–1879 | September 1870 |
| Europe | false |
| Harriet Warner Walker, less than 24 hr. old | J. J. Kanberg American, active 1870s–1890s | n.d. (1870/1890) |
| Americas | false |
| Palais de Saint-Cloud, from the series "Paris et ses environs" | Charles Soulier French, 1840–1875 | 1870/71 |
| Europe | false |
| Nevada Fall (700 feet high), From Foot-Bridge, after Snow Storm in July, No. 1208 from the series "California -- Yo-Semite Valley" | John P. Soule American, 1828–1904 | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Yo-Semite Fall (2634 feet high), from near Hutchings', with excursion party, No. 1216 from the series "California -- Yo-Semite Valley" | John P. Soule American, 1828–1904 | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Yo-Semite Fall, (2634 feet high) from near Sentinel House, P. T. Barnum and Party, No. 1220 from the series "California -- Yo-Semite Valley" | John P. Soule American, 1828–1904 | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled | Artist unknown English, 19th century | c. 1875 |
| other | false |
| Ice formation at the Deep Fill Tunnel, No. 1100 from the series "In and About the Dells of the Wisconsin River" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |
| The Dam at the foot of Mirror Lake, No. 67 from the series "In and About the Dells of the Wisconsin River" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |
| Under Minne-ha-ha Falls, No. 1506 from the series "Among the Bluff Scenery of the Upper Mississippi" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |
| Bridal Veil Fall near Minneapolis, No. 1515 from the series "Among the Bluff Scenery of the Upper Mississippi" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |
| Minne-ha-ha Falls, looking across, No. 1501 from the series "Among the Bluff Scenery of the Upper Mississippi" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |
| Paris Nouveau | Artist unknown French | c. 1875 |
| Europe | false |
| Cold Water Canon-looking down from near the Jug, No. 433 from the series "In and About the Dells of the Wisconsin River" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843–1908 | 1870/1908 |
| Americas | false |
| Montmartre | Artist unknown European, active 19th century | 1870 |
| Europe | false |
| The Madame B Album | Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier French, 1831–1906 | 1870s |
| Europe | false |
| Sun Pictures of Rocky Mountain Scenery | Andrew J. Russell (American, 1830–1902), Julius Bien (American, 1826–1909) and F. V. Hayden (American, 1829–1887) | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled (Portrait of Six Men) | Unknown maker American, 19th century | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled (Portrait of a Carpenter) | Unknown maker American, 19th century | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled (People Standing Around a Open Casket) | Unknown maker American, 19th century | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled (Portrait of a Man and two Women in Front of Niagara Falls) | Unknown maker American, 19th century | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled (Group Portrait of Miners) | Unknown maker American, 19th century | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Untitled (boy and girl) | Artist unknown 19th century | 1870/99 |
| — | false |
| Section of the Original Big Tree, 92 ft. in circumference, No. 10 from the series "Mammoth Trees, California" | Anthony & Company American, active 1848–1901 | 1870/71 |
| Americas | false |
| Reflection of El Capitain in the Merced River, No. 48 from the series "Glories of the Yosemite, California" | Anthony & Company American, active 1848–1901 | 1870/71 |
| Americas | false |
| Sensitive Plant | Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882 | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| The First House in Yosemite Valley, California, No. 315 from the series "Views of American Scenery" | John J. Reilly American, born Scotland, 1838–1894 | 1870/76 |
| Americas | false |
| Cathedral Rocks, height 2,660 ft., Yo Semite Valley, Cal., No. 537 from the series "Yosemite Valley, Cal." | John J. Reilly American, born Scotland, 1838–1894 | 1870/76 |
| Americas | false |
| Oakland Wharf, from Powell and California Streets, San Francisco, California, from the series "Views of American Scenery" | John J. Reilly American, born Scotland, 1838–1894 | 1870/76 |
| Americas | false |
| Quarrying Granite for Mormon Temple, No. 119 from the series "Views in the Rocky Mountains" | William Henry Jackson American, 1843–1942 | 1870/78 |
| Americas | false |
| The Sentinels, 315 feet high, diam. 20 feet - Calaveras County, No. 1090 from the series "California -- Big Trees" | John P. Soule American, 1828–1904 | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| The Sentinel House, No. 1134 from the series "California -- Yo-Semite Valley" | John P. Soule American, 1828–1904 | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Mirror Lake and Mt. Watkins, No. 1248 from the series "California—Yo-Semite Valley" | John P. Soule American, 1828–1904 | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Crescent Lake, at head of the Merced River, Mariposa Co., stereo, No. 1286 from the series "California" | John P. Soule American, 1828–1904 | 1870 |
| Americas | false |
| Northern Dome of Phantom Cathedral, No. 1305 from the series "Curiosities of Adams and Juneau Counties" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |
| Window on the north side of Target Bluff, No. 225 from the series "Curiosities of Adams and Juneau Counties" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |
| Eastern Tower of Giant's Castle, No. 223 from the series "Curiosities of Adams and Juneau Counties" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |
| Port Hole at Coon Castle, No. 1310 from the series "Curiosities of Adams and Juneau Counties" | Henry Hamilton Bennett American, born Canada, 1843-1908 | 1870/1908 |
| other | false |