Andrew J. Russell

Andrew Joseph Russell (1830 – 1902)

One of a handful of landscape photographers who shaped our perception of the American West in the 19th century, A. J. Russell’s work stands alongside of Carleton Watkins, Eadweard Muybridge and Timothy O’Sullivan in its aesthetic power and technical virtuosity. A large group of Russell’s original glass-plate negatives are preserved in the Collection of the Oakland Museum of California.

A painter as well as photographer, Russell worked for Matthew Brady before documenting the U.S. Military Railroad as a captain during the Civil War. After the war, he secured a position as official photographer for the Union Pacific Railroad in its massive endeavor to construct a transcontinental railroad. His photographs, culminating in the iconic “Joining of the Rails” at Promontory, Utah, capture the majestic scale of western lands, the gritty enterprise of railroad building, frontier boom towns, and the effect of railroads on Native Americans.

Russell’s photographs brought the railroad, and the American West, to a mass audience. Disseminated internationally as stereo views and engravings in newspapers, and filtered through Hollywood films and even advertising, Russell’s visual style continues to influence our image of western history and mythology.

In 1969 the Oakland Museum acquired nearly 650 collodion “wet plate” negatives in both stereo and “imperial” (10 X 13 inch) formats. The original glass camera negatives were made in the field by Russell himself, making the collection unique, among major 19th century landscape photographers. The Museum also holds one of the few surviving copies of The Great West Illustrated, an album of vintage albumen prints by Russell, as well as mounted stereo views and more than 100 glass lantern slides.

Russell’s photographs illuminate powerful themes in American history: westward expansion and Manifest Destiny, the displacement of native peoples, attitudes toward landscape and the natural environment, technological history (both engineering and photographic), and the important role of art and photography in shaping and expressing cultural concerns.

For the first time, high-resolution digital scans of the original glass-plate negatives are now available for online viewing. These scans are highly detailed and rich in searchable content.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Monument Rock, Echo Canyon Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Monument Rock no. 3 Sedgwick #308." Russell no. 309. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file."307. Monument Rock Echo Canon" Russell number and title per Glenn Willumson. "The...	Carmichael's Camp, Bitter Creek Valley Andrew J. Russell 1868 "#178 Citadel Rock Elevation Green" With camp in foreground. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file."This lantern slide appears to be derived from Russell's imperial glass...
Devil's Post Office Andrew J. Russell 1868 "#280 Devils Post Office." Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file.	Amphitheatre Rocks, Black Buttes Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Amph? near Black Buttes station 155." Two men standing on large boulders. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file."155. Amphitheatre Rocks, Black Buttes" title per Glenn...
Fill No.2, West of Granite Canyon Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Fill no.2 W. of Granite Canyon." #76. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file.	[Fairy Grotto, Black Buttes] Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Caves of mts. Black Buttes. 157 Cave formation with many arched entrances. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file."156. [Fairy Grotto, Black Buttes]. Lantern slide is derived...
Brigham Young's Theater, Great Salt Lake City Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Sedgwick #477" Theater, Salt Lake City. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file."477c. Brigham Young's Theater Great Salt Lake City" title per Glenn Willumson for the NEA...	High Peaks, Sherman Andrew J. Russell 1868 "High peaks, Sherman #82" Rugged scene with huge boulders and many fallen trees. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file.
Black Buttes Station, Black Buttes in Distance Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Black Buttes Station #153." Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file.	Rock Cut No.3, West of Dale Creek Bridge Andrew J. Russell 1868 "#125 Cut no.3 W. of D.C." Old Number may be Russell negative number. See donor file."125. Rock Cut No. 3, West of Dale Creek Bridge" title per Glenn Willumson for the NEA Russell Grant, July 2013...
Citadel Rock, Green River Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Citadel Rock Green Riv. # 177." Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file."Russell's darkroom wagon can be seen on the right side of the image in the middle ground" remarks per...	Echo Canyon, Looking From Up the Great Eastern Rock Andrew J. Russell 1868 "B. Down Echo Canyon." "Sedgwick #305" Russell negative number #298. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file.
Sheep, Utah Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Sedgwick #484" sheep, Utah. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file.	Carmichael's Camp, Bitter Creek Andrew J. Russell 1868 "#164 Carmichael's C. Bitter C." Man on horse with camp in background. Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file."The 'C' following Carmichael stands for Camp and the second 'C'...
Devil's Gate, Weber Canyon, Rocks 2000 Feet High Andrew J. Russell 1868 "Devil's Gate Weber Canyon 2000 ft."#424 Old number may be Russell negative number. See donor file.	Black Buttes from the Mountains Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: Image Description: (s158) Black Buttes from Mountains. Camp in distance. Physical Description: Stereographic collodion glass plate negative, 5"X8". Sub. Cat.:...
S.B. Reed in Front of Bromley's House Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: S.B. Reed in front of Bromley's House Image Description: S.B. Reed in front of Bromley's House Physical Description: Stereographic collodion glass plate negative. Sub. Cat...	Flock of Sheep, Utah, Salt Lake Valley Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: Flock of Sheep Utah Salt Lake Valley Image Description: (s484) see Title Physical Description: Stereographic collodion glass plate negative. Sub. Cat.: Transportation --...
Rock Cut No. 3, West of Dale Creek Bridge Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: Image Description: (s125) Rock Cut No 3 West of Dale Creek Bridge. Physical Description: Stereographic collodion glass plate negative, 5"X8". Sub. Cat.: Transportation...	Rock Cut No. 3, West of Dale Creek Bridge Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: 124 Rock Cut No 3 West of Dale Creek Bridge (scratched on negative). Image Description: (s124) See title. Physical Description: Stereographic collodion glass plate...
S.B. Reed, Echo Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: S.B. Reed Echo Image Description: (s583) see Title Physical Description: Stereographic collodion glass plate negative. Sub. Cat.: Transportation -- Railroads. Remarks:...	Coalville, Utah, Mormon Settlement Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: Coalville Utah Mormon settlement Image Description: (s447) see Title Physical Description: Stereographic collodion glass plate negative. Sub. Cat: Transportation --...
Above the Valley, Green River Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: Image Description: (s197) Three couples on horseback, women sidesaddle. Physical Description: Stereographic collodion glass plate negative. Sub. Cat.: Transportation --...	Supply Trains at End of Track, Last Siding Andrew J. Russell 1868 Photograph. Title: No 87 Supply Trains at End of Track Last Siding (Scratched on negative) Image Description: See title. Men, Wagons, and animals in front of trains. Physical Description: "...