John R. Putnam

This serene and finely composed late-19th-century photograph presents an early view of Lake Tahoe, captured circa 1888 by American photographer John R. Putnam. The image depicts the lake’s pristine alpine shoreline, framed by towering conifer forests and rugged, snow-patched mountain peaks—an unspoiled vision of the Sierra Nevada before modern development reshaped the region.

Putnam’s composition balances still water in the foreground with rising granite slopes and distant summits, creating a quiet yet monumental scene. Snow lingering along the shoreline and across the mountain faces suggests a high-altitude environment and seasonal transition, lending the photograph a timeless, contemplative quality. The calm surface of the lake reflects the surrounding landscape, emphasizing Tahoe’s reputation even in the 19th century as a place of extraordinary natural clarity and beauty.

This work is an original black-and-white silver gelatin photograph, mounted on period cardstock. The verso bears the printed marks of Al Greene & Associates, well-known publishers of fine photographic murals and exhibition images, along with handwritten notations indicating the photograph was taken by Putnam in 1888 and cataloged with period negative and production numbers. These markings firmly support the photograph’s authenticity, date, and professional provenance.

During this period, images of Lake Tahoe were instrumental in introducing the American public to the alpine landscapes of the West. Photographs such as this helped establish Tahoe as a destination of national significance and contributed to the broader cultural appreciation of wilderness that fueled early conservation ideals.

Details

Title: Lake Tahoe, California

Photographer: John R. Putnam

Date: c. 1888

Medium: Silver gelatin photograph

Mount: Original period mount with Al Greene & Associates imprint

Location: Lake Tahoe, California

Provenance: From a historic American photographic collection

A rare and atmospheric survival from the golden age of Western landscape photography, this photograph is an exceptional acquisition for collectors of Lake Tahoe history, Sierra Nevada imagery, early American photography, and 19th-century Western landscapes.

A quiet, powerful record of Lake Tahoe as it appeared at the dawn of America’s conservation era.