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Glenn Gardner Willumson

Iron Muse: Photographing the Transcontinental Railroad First Edition

by Glenn Willumson (Author)

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The construction of the transcontinental railroad (1865–1869) marked a milestone in United States history, symbolizing both the joining of the country’s two coasts and the taming of its frontier wilderness by modern technology. But it was through the power of images―and especially the photograph―that the railroad attained its iconic status. Iron Muse provides a unique look at the production, distribution, and publication of images of the transcontinental railroad: from their use as an official record by the railroad corporations, to their reproduction in the illustrated press and travel guides, and finally to their adaptation to direct sales and albums in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Tracing the complex relationships and occasional conflicts between photographer, publisher, and curator as they crafted the photographs’ different meanings over time, Willumson provides a comprehensive portrayal of the creation and evolution of an important slice of American visual culture.

ISBN-10

0520270940
ISBN-13

978-0520270947
Edition

First Edition
Publisher

University of California Press
Publication date

April 12, 2013
Language

English
Dimensions

7 x 1.1 x 10 inches
Print length

254 pages
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This meticulous investigation will appeal to historians of photography, of the American West, and of railroads. . . . Recommended." -- M. Nilsen ― CHOICE Published On: 2013-10-01

"Glenn Willumson's book Iron Muse is a wonderfully written account of efforts to photograph the constuction of the transcontinental railroad and promote its successes... Wonderfully illustrated, this book relies on the larger visual culture of the era and reproduces prints, paintings, and newspapers as well as the photographs themselves... Those without a stated interest in these topics will develop one because of the author's engaging writing style and compelling presentation." -- Rachel M. Sailor ― Winterthur Portfolio Published On: 2016-07-20

From the Inside Flap

One way to approach Glenn Willumsons impressive book is to imagine yourself standing on the observation platform of a train speeding westward in 1868. Already disappearing from view are traditional ideas about the function of documentary photography, while at the other end of the train, precariously balanced on the cab of the locomotive, a photographer shoots pictures that show how successfully construction of the Transcontinental railroad is proceeding through the rugged western landscape. Willumsons thoughtful, carefully researched narrative works between these two views of railroad photography, explaining how the passive was gradually being supplanted by the active, but not quite so openly or aggressively as to suggest that the railroads record of progress was any less authentic. Which tells us, once again, how effective such images were in selling the nineteenth-century West to the eastern half of the nation.

-William Truettner, Senior Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

One comes away from this text with deeper appreciation of the production of these railroad images and of their manipulation, indeed with a heightened appreciation of the richness of the photographic archive itself."

-Kenneth Haltman, author of Looking Close and Seeing Far: Samuel Seymour, Titian Ramsay Peale, and the Art of the Long Expedition, 1818-1823

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of California Press; First Edition (April 12, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0520270940
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0520270947
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.9 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1.1 x 10 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #276,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #50 in Railroad Travel Reference
- #130 in Photography Collections & Exhibitions (Books)
- #2,967 in U.S. State & Local History

Customer Reviews:
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Daniel Davis

A Serious book for serious scholars of Western photography and art!

Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2014

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Iron Muse is the most comprehensive history yet published of not just one but two (Alfred A. Hart and Andrew J. Russell) major Western photographers of the 19th Century. The book represents over 20 years of research regarding the two main photographers involved with the construction of the transcontinental railroad. This is a very sophisticated and nuanced treatment of the images of these two men. Willumson reveals new details about the relationship of Alfred Hart to the Central Pacific and how that organization used his images for distribution and publicity. The til now murky details of the relationship of Russell to the Union Pacific, and his quest to profit from his images, are made much clearer. As well, Willumson points out that starting in the 1870s the images of both photographers underwent re-branding into different formats for new audiences. Finally, Willumson places their photography within the context of the national art scene.

This is a serious book for serious scholars of Western art and 19th Century Western photography. I place myself in that category and for me the book was a gold mine of information. Willumson challenges several long-held assumptions. For example, he argues that Hart and Russell were corporate photographers creating corporate archives and had much less, "artistic license," than previously assumed. As well, Western photography was more a cooperative, rather than individual, endeavor between photographers and their patrons.

10 people found this helpful

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Neal A. Wellons

Not much for photographs

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2016

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The Davis review of this book is very good about the details of the book. But I was interested in photographs and was very disappointed. The photo quality is poor to fair, images are small, usually stereo pairs with each image 2 1/4". There are a few non stereo photos up to 3 1/2 X 5 and a slightly better section of plates. Unfortunately the plate section is only 8 pages and the quality is still only fair.

If you are interested in a detailed narrative, it may be interesting but don't buy it for the photographs.

5 people found this helpful

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Lorna

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2014

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A very important and welcome book by an established photo historian.

One person found this helpful

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