Morganmobile: Inside/Outside
The subject of this mammoth-plate photograph, a waterfall in upstate New York, fits within the genre of scenic landscapes—or, as marketing language of the period had it, “views.” Compositionally, the image owes more to the tradition of grand architectural interiors. Through his choices of viewpoint and lens length, William H. Rau caused the horizontal strata of Watkins Glen to form a starburst around the gauzy vertical stripe of Cavern Cascade. Rau’s 1895 series of photographs promotes points of interest along the routes of the Lehigh Valley Railroad—a company that J. Pierpont Morgan acquired two years later.
William H. Rau (1855–1920), Cavern Cascade, Watkins Glen, 1895. Albumen print from glass negative, 21 x 17 inches. Purchased as the gift of Ronald R. Kass. 2015.47:1.