[Clouds - Solar Eclipse]

January 11, 1880

Current Collection

Los Angeles, United States

Medium: Albumen silver print
Dimensions: 16.5 × 22.9 cm
Status: In Museum Collection
Collect24 Art ID: C24-447219

Standing atop Mount Santa Lucia in northern California from approximately 1:30 to 2:30pm on January 11, 1880, Carleton Watkins attempted to photograph a solar eclipse. Accompanied by professors from the newly created University of California and the United States Naval Observatory, Watkins waited slightly more than an hour for the moon to begin its movement and assume its temporary position directly in front of the sun. He made this image of a sea of clouds presided over by a band of trees during that period of anticipation. Eventually, at approximately 2:34pm, he succeeded in making [one exposure at the instant of complete eclipse](https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/58480/carleton-watkins-solar-eclipse-american-january-11-1880/). Adapted from getty.edu, Interpretive Content Department, 2008

Provenance

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Registry history

January 11, 1880 — Recorded in the collection of J. Paul Getty Museum — photographs

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