[Yosemite National Park, California] 1876 - 1880

This is a circular photograph of Yosemite National Park, California, made by Carleton Watkins, though the exact date is unknown. Watkins was one of many 19th-century American photographers who captured the Western landscape. These images played a crucial role in shaping American perceptions of its natural environment. Watkins’ photographs, like those of his contemporaries, contributed to the romantic idealization of the West as a pristine and untamed wilderness. However, this vision often obscured the realities of westward expansion, including the displacement and marginalization of Native American populations. The establishment of Yosemite as a national park in 1890, partly inspired by such imagery, reflects a growing awareness of the need for conservation. It also reveals complex social and political dynamics. By examining photographs like this, alongside historical documents, we can better understand the evolving relationship between American society, its institutions, and the natural world. The meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.