Coffin Rock 1875 - 1899

This is a stereograph titled ‘Coffin Rock’ by H.D. Udall, a photographic print mounted on card stock. We see a narrow canyon, the rock formations creating a somber and imposing space. The stereoscopic format is key here. Udall uses this technology to offer not just an image, but an experience of depth and immersion. The paired images work together to simulate three-dimensional vision, pulling the viewer into the claustrophobic space of the canyon. Light filters from above, highlighting the textures and irregularities of the rock. This play of light and shadow emphasizes the sheer scale and geological weight of the place. The very act of viewing this stereograph becomes a kind of symbolic exploration. The technology invites us to delve into spaces, real and imagined, reflecting a modern desire to comprehend the natural world through both scientific and aesthetic means. Note how Udall uses the stereograph not merely as a recording device but as a tool to explore themes of space, perception and being.