Carleton Emmons Watkins, Devil's Slide Utah, U.P.R.R., 1873-1874, albumen print, 20 9/16 in. x 15 13/16 in. (52.3 cm. x 40.1 cm.), The late-nineteenth century West was the age of the railroad and photography. Carleton Watkins combines both in this iconic picture. Drawn west in 1851 by the Gold Rush, he stayed in California, where his scenic photographs helped to build support for Yosemite National Park. Yet Watkins also supported himself by photographing for mining and railway companies. Devil's Slide Utah, U.P.R.R. captures the ambiguities of Watkins's dual roles. Two parallel but off-kilter limestone strata in Weber Canyon, Utah, slash downward toward the train, stopped mid-transit with the engineer looking at the camera. The composition forces the eye to wander from train and rock to mountain and sky. Likely made to promote Western railway tourism, this image celebrates the very technologies that made the frontier accessible. It also subtly questions if those technologies they might also be the frontier's undoing.
Keywords:
Carleton Emmons Watkins, Devil's Slide Utah, U.P.R.R., 1873-1874, albumen print, 20 9/16 . x 15 13/16, 52.3 cm. x 40.1 cm., late-nineteenth century West, age, railroad, photography. Carleton Watkins combines, iconic picture. Drawn west, 1851, Gold Rush, stayed, California, scenic photographs helped, build support, Yosemite National Park. Yet Watkins, supported, photographing, mining, railway companies. Devil's Slide Utah, U.P.R.R. captures, ambiguities, Watkins's dual roles. Two parallel, off-kilter limestone strata, Weber Canyon, Utah, slash downward, train, stopped mid-transit, engineer looking, camera., composition forces, eye, wander, train, rock, mountain, sky. Likely, promote Western railway tourism, image celebrates, technologies, frontier accessible., subtly questions if, technologies, might, frontier's undoing
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