http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf238nb395 Online items available
Views of Yosemite by George Fiske, ca. 1880-1890
Processed by Padma Rubiales. The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 94720-6000 Phone: (510) 642-6481 Fax: (510) 642-7589 Email: [email protected] URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ © 1997 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Views of Yosemite by George BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB 1 Fiske, ca. 1880-1890 Views of Yosemite by George Fiske, ca. 1880-1890
Collection number: BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB
The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 94720-6000 Phone: (510) 642-6481 Fax: (510) 642-7589 Email: [email protected] URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ Finding Aid Author(s): Processed by Padma Rubiales. Finding Aid Encoded By: GenX © 2015 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Collection Summary Collection Title: Views of Yosemite by George Fiske Date: ca. 1880-1890 Collection Number: BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB Photographer: George Fiske Extent: 1 album (68 photographic prints); 15 x 23 cm.68 digital objects Repository: The Bancroft Library. University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 94720-6000 Phone: (510) 642-6481 Fax: (510) 642-7589 Email: [email protected] URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English Access Collection stored off-site. Advance notice required for use. Publication Rights Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish photographs must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Pictorial Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Views of Yosemite by George Fiske, ca. 1880-1890, BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley Digital Representations Available Digital representations of selected original pictorial materials are available in the list of materials below. Digital image files were prepared from selected Library originals by the Library Photographic Service. Library originals were copied onto 35mm color transparency film; the film was scanned and transferred to Kodak Photo CD (by Custom Process); and the Photo CD files were color-corrected and saved in JFIF (JPEG) format for use as viewing files. Related Collections
Views of Yosemite by George BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB 2 Fiske, ca. 1880-1890 The Bancroft Library has extensive holdings of Fiske's work. Search under his name in the on-line catalog for additional collections. Acquisition Information Unknown Biography George Fiske was born October 22, 1835, in Amherst, New Hampshire, and raised on the family's farm. In 1858, at the age of 22, he moved west to Sacramento, California, where he worked as a banking clerk for his half-brother Thomas Fiske, of Thomas Fiske & Co. Located in the same building as the bank was the Vance & Weed Photographic Gallery, owned by Robert H. Vance and managed by Charles Leander Weed, the first photographer of Yosemite Valley. In the years following his move to California, it is likely that Fiske received a good amount of photographic training --though where and by whom is not certain --for in 1864 he surfaced as a freelance photographer in San Francisco. In 1868, after a brief hiatus from photography spent farming in the Santa Clara Valley, Fiske returned to San Francisco and became an assistant to Carleton E. Watkins. During the next few years he was employed as a photographer for Thomas Houseworth & Co., and worked with Eadweard Muybridge photographing the Yosemite Valley. In a one-year span between 1872 and 1873, Fiske lost his mother, father and half-brother James, and married his first wife, Elmira ("Myra") F. Morrill. In 1874 Fiske returned to work for Watkins. The following year Watkins went bankrupt, causing another hiatus in Fiske's career. In 1879, after resuming his photographic practice in San Francisco, Fiske moved to the Yosemite Valley, becoming its first year-round resident photographer. While at Yosemite, where he lived for nearly the remainder of his life, Fiske became the close friend of Galen Clark, established a long-running though modest photographic concession of landscape views and custom tourist portraits, and ceaselessly photographed the many features of the Valley and its environs. In 1884 Fiske began to receive the recognition due his work. Upon viewing Fiske's prints on exhibition at the New Orleans World's Fair, the influential Philadelphia Photographer critic Edward L Wilson described his work as "gems of photographic art" that "place Mr. Fiske in the front rank." That same year, Fiske sent a selection of his photographs to London for the inspection of John Ruskin, who replied, "It is impossible to choose subjects more fitly, or to do better work." Despite this and posthumous praise from the likes of Beaumont Newhall and Ansel Adams, Fiske is yet to be widely recognized as a prominent figure in the history of photography. In 1896, Myra Fiske died of cancer. The following year George Fiske married Caroline ("Carrie") Paull. In 1904 a fire destroyed Fiske's house and studio, as well as two cameras, two lenses, three quarters of his glass-plate negatives, and a large portion of his stock of prints. (A 1943 fire destroyed the remainder of Fiske's glass-plate negatives.) After the deaths of Galen Clark in 1910 and his wife Carrie in 1917, Fiske become very despondent. In 1918, facing dim business prospects and suffering intensely from a brain tumor, George Fiske committed suicide. He was buried next to Galen Clark in Yosemite's Pioneer Cemetery. (Sources: Paul Hickman, The Life and Photographic Works of George Fiske, 1835-1918 (M.A. Thesis, Arizona State University, 1979); Paul Hickman and Terence Pitts, George Fiske, Yosemite Photographer (Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Press; Tucson: University of Arizona, Center for Creative Photography, 1980).) Scope and Content The Views of Yosemite album contains 68 photographic prints taken by George Fiske, likely in the 1880s. The photographs are mainly of Yosemite Valley in the winter. Views include Black Spring, domes from Columbia Rock, Inspiration Point, El Capitan Bridge, and Grizzly Peak. The album also includes a photograph of a burro-drawn sled bearing an advertisement for Fiske's landscape photography business. Many of the photographs in the album are uncaptioned.
"Honest John". George Fiske, Landscape Photographer, Views and Groups... [Burro and sled with Fiske ad] BANC PIC 19xx.066:01--ALB ark:/13030/tf6b69p34t Additional Note Number: 242
[Yosemite Valley in snow] BANC PIC 19xx.066:02--ALB ark:/13030/tf02900664 Additional Note Number: 200
[Yosemite Valley in snow] BANC PIC 19xx.066:03--ALB ark:/13030/tf7n39p4js Additional Note Number: 201
Views of Yosemite by George BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB 3 Fiske, ca. 1880-1890 Container Listing
[Frozen waterfall, Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:04--ALB ark:/13030/tf567nb696 Additional Note Number: 204
[Frozen stream, Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:05--ALB ark:/13030/tf2x0nb4jh Additional Note Number: 203?
[Frozen stream, Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:06--ALB ark:/13030/tf4q2nb632 Additional Note Number: 206
Black Spring BANC PIC 19xx.066:07--ALB ark:/13030/tf1d5nb2vm Additional Note Number: 207
Black Spring BANC PIC 19xx.066:08--ALB ark:/13030/tf529008rx [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:09--ALB ark:/13030/tf9f59p5q5 Additional Note Number: 210
[Waterfall] BANC PIC 19xx.066:10--ALB ark:/13030/tf938nb98q Additional Note Number: 218
[Waterfall] BANC PIC 19xx.066:11--ALB ark:/13030/tf0t1nb3c5 Additional Note Number: 232
[Yosemite in the snow] BANC PIC 19xx.066:12--ALB ark:/13030/tf0n39n9wr Additional Note Number: 237
[Yosemite Valley in snow] BANC PIC 19xx.066:13--ALB ark:/13030/tf7k4010vz The Domes from Columbia Rock BANC PIC 19xx.066:14--ALB ark:/13030/tf3489p201 Additional Note Number: 241
Columbia Rock BANC PIC 19xx.066:15--ALB ark:/13030/tf9t1nc0dg [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:16--ALB ark:/13030/tf5r29p28q Additional Note Number: 382
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:17--ALB ark:/13030/tf6j49p4kb Additional Note Number: 383
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:18--ALB ark:/13030/tf8z09p5f0 Additional Note Number: 384
Views of Yosemite by George BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB 4 Fiske, ca. 1880-1890 Container Listing
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:19--ALB ark:/13030/tf1z09p09b Additional Note Number: 385
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:20--ALB ark:/13030/tf738nb7nt Additional Note Number: 386
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:21--ALB ark:/13030/tf3199p160 Additional Note Number: 476
From Inspiration Pt [Point] BANC PIC 19xx.066:22--ALB ark:/13030/tf8z09p5gh Additional Note Number: 300
[Horse and buggy near shack] BANC PIC 19xx.066:23--ALB ark:/13030/tf4f59p2h2 Additional Note Number: 301
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:24--ALB ark:/13030/tf6w1010nh Additional Note Number: 302
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:25--ALB ark:/13030/tf3m3nb55n Additional Note Number: 403
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:26--ALB ark:/13030/tf0j49n9xm Additional Note Number: 303
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:27--ALB ark:/13030/tf9t1nc0f0 Additional Note Number: 304
From El Capitan Bridge BANC PIC 19xx.066:28--ALB ark:/13030/tf7489p4cx Additional Note Number: 310
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:29--ALB ark:/13030/tf8v19p4x3 Additional Note Number: 415
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:30--ALB ark:/13030/tf2z09p0nt Additional Note Number: 416
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:31--ALB ark:/13030/tf2d5nb3tw Additional Note Number: 417
Views of Yosemite by George BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB 5 Fiske, ca. 1880-1890 Container Listing
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:32--ALB ark:/13030/tf0b69n9dj [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:33--ALB ark:/13030/tf3z09p2h1 [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:34--ALB ark:/13030/tf738nb7pb Additional Note Number: 319
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:35--ALB ark:/13030/tf2199n9pb Additional Note Number: 325
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:36--ALB ark:/13030/tf4489p2gk Additional Note Number: 466
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:37--ALB ark:/13030/tf5r29p297 Additional Note Number: 498
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:38--ALB ark:/13030/tf50000940 Additional Note Number: 500
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:39--ALB ark:/13030/tf1h4nb3fj Additional Note Number: 501
Looking towards Indian Canon [Canyon] BANC PIC 19xx.066:40--ALB ark:/13030/tf3z09p2jj Additional Note Number: 530
Grizzly Pk [Peak] from Merced River BANC PIC 19xx.066:41--ALB ark:/13030/tf0d5nb380 [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:42--ALB ark:/13030/tf8g5011ph Additional Note Number: 361
[People posing on bridge] BANC PIC 19xx.066:43--ALB ark:/13030/tf0x0nb3ct [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:44--ALB ark:/13030/tf1b69p018 Additional Note Number: 353
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:45--ALB ark:/13030/tf2199n9qv Additional Note Number: 354
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:46--ALB ark:/13030/tf4w101065 Additional Note Number: 430
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:47--ALB ark:/13030/tf5580099b Additional Note Number: 355
Views of Yosemite by George BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB 6 Fiske, ca. 1880-1890 Container Listing
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:48--ALB ark:/13030/tf2f59p1jg Additional Note Number: 351
[Glacier Point] BANC PIC 19xx.066:49--ALB ark:/13030/tf696nb6tx Additional Note Number: 356
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:50--ALB ark:/13030/tf8v19p4zm Additional Note Number: 357
From Glacier Point BANC PIC 19xx.066:51--ALB ark:/13030/tf7m3nb6xr Additional Note Number: 358
View from Glacier Pt. [Point] Hotel - abt. 80 yds. south of BANC PIC 19xx.066:52--ALB ark:/13030/tf458008d3 Additional Note Number: 350
Starr King and Clouds Rest from new road to Glacier Pt. [Point] BANC PIC 19xx.066:53--ALB ark:/13030/tf938nb997 Panorama from near O [?] Rocks BANC PIC 19xx.066:54--ALB ark:/13030/tf7c6010qk [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:55--ALB ark:/13030/tf667nb6d2 [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:56--ALB ark:/13030/tf1v19p0hs [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:57--ALB ark:/13030/tf529008sf [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:58--ALB ark:/13030/tf8n39p52b Additional Note Number: 440
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:59--ALB ark:/13030/tf596nb6hz Additional Note Number: 441
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:60--ALB ark:/13030/tf6w1010p1 Additional Note Number: 442
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:61--ALB ark:/13030/tf558009bv Additional Note Number: 443
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:62--ALB ark:/13030/tf0g500725 Additional Note Number: 446
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:63--ALB ark:/13030/tf9779p4pv Additional Note Number: 484
Views of Yosemite by George BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB 7 Fiske, ca. 1880-1890 Container Listing
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:64--ALB ark:/13030/tf7p3011fw Additional Note Number: 397
From Lookout Point BANC PIC 19xx.066:65--ALB ark:/13030/tf8m3nb7xj [No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:66--ALB ark:/13030/tf9r29p5zr Additional Note Number: 571
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:67--ALB ark:/13030/tf1000065t Additional Note Number: 371
[No Caption: Views of Yosemite] BANC PIC 19xx.066:68--ALB ark:/13030/tf2d5nb3vd Additional Note Number: 370
Views of Yosemite by George BANC PIC 19xx.066--ALB 8 Fiske, ca. 1880-1890