John R. Putnam

This evocative late-19th-century photograph captures the raw grandeur of Nevada Falls in Yosemite National Park, one of the most celebrated natural landmarks of the American West. Taken circa 1889 by noted California photographer John R. Putnam, the image presents a dramatic vertical cascade plunging into a rocky gorge, surrounded by towering granite walls and dense Sierra Nevada forest.

The composition reflects the visual language of early Western landscape photography—emphasizing scale, movement, and the sublime power of untouched nature. The long exposure softens the rushing water into a luminous veil, a hallmark of 19th-century photographic technique, while the rugged foreground rocks anchor the scene with striking realism.

The photograph is an original black-and-white silver gelatin print, mounted on period cardstock. The verso bears the imprint of Al Greene & Associates, renowned publishers and distributors of fine photographic murals and exhibition prints, further supporting its authenticity and early provenance. Handwritten notations and production marks are consistent with late-19th-century professional photographic practice.

John R. Putnam was active during a formative period in American photography, when Yosemite was emerging as both a national symbol and a subject of artistic reverence. Images such as this played a crucial role in shaping public perception of the American landscape and contributed to the early conservation movement.

Details

Title: Nevada Falls, Yosemite National Park

Photographer: John R. Putnam

Date: c. 1889

Printed 1891

Medium: Silver gelatin photograph

Mount: Original period mount with Al Greene & Associates imprint

Subject: Yosemite National Park, California

Condition: Very good antique condition; light age-appropriate wear to mount, consistent with period and handling.

This rare and atmospheric photograph is both a work of art and a historical document—an exceptional piece for collectors of Yosemite imagery, Western Americana, early landscape photography, or 19th-century American history. A powerful reminder of the era when photography first revealed the majesty of the American wilderness to the world.