Ansel Adams 1902-1984

flush-mounted, matted, circa 1935-36 (Our National Parks, p. 61; Yosemite: Ansel Adams, p. 23; Ansel Adams at 100, pl. 87)

The photographer to Roi Partridge

Private Collection, California

Acquired by the present owners from the above, circa 1993

This early flush-mounted print, on matte-surface paper with a slight sheen and texture, is in generally excellent condition. Hinged to a modern mount with cloth tape, the print exhibits some slight edge wear and minute emulsion loss that is visible only under the closest examination. When examined in high raking light, tiny deposits of the photographer's original retouching are visible in the sky area, as well as an extremely faint one-inch surface scratch or scuff in the center portion of the print, and a 1/8-inch indentation in the lower right quadrant. Neither of these breaks the emulsion. On the reverse of the flush mount, there are small abrasions and some adhesive remains, primarily in the corner areas on the right side, where this print was likely removed from a secondary mount.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This scarce, early state of Adams's Yosemite Valley is different from later prints of the negative, which are cropped fairly extensively along the bottom and left side.  In the summer of 1937, Adams's darkroom caught fire, damaging many of his Yosemite negatives, including the famous Monolith: The Face of Half Dome, which, like Yosemite Valley, was printed thereafter in a cropped format.   The negative for Yosemite Valley, now in the Center for Creative Photography, Tucson, has black marks along portions of its edges and is masked with black printer's tape on three sides.  At the time of this writing, only one other print from the original, uncropped state of the negative has been located: one sold in these rooms on 17 April 2002 (Sale 7777, Lot 17).

The print offered here was owned originally by the printmaker Roi Partridge (1888 - 1984), who was married to the photographer Imogen Cunningham from 1915 to 1934.  Partridge began teaching at Mills College in Oakland, California, in 1920, and later became the first director of the school's art gallery, where he organized numerous exhibitions, including photography and other works on paper.  A photographer himself, he counted Adams among his friends and colleagues who were exploring the concept of a new photography, an exploration that led ultimately to the formation of Group f/64.