The FAD Gallery in Mancos will open an exhibit of rare, original photochroms and cabinet cards by William Henry Jackson, with a reception from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, July 29.
Jackson became known for his photographs while he was chief photographer for the Hayden Survey Party organized by the U.S. Department of the Interior for mapping unknown regions of the American West. Jackson spent several years photographing the West, Europe, Asia and Africa, and in 1897 became a partner in The Detroit Photographic Co., which acquired thousands of his negatives as well as the rights to a newly patented photochrom colorization process. The Detroit Photographic Co. was forced into receivership in 1924, and many of the company’s assets were purchased by the F.J. Haynes Co., of Yellowstone, which stored them until an estate auction in 1993.
“We are so excited to be offering these authentic, original prints by an iconic American photographer,” said Collette Webster, owner of FAD Gallery in Mancos. “Jackson’s early photographs of Yellowstone played a role in Congress deciding to create our first national park in 1872. And the story just gets more interesting from there.”
In November, 2004, artist David Butler, now living in Yellow Jacket, bought some of the original Detroit Photographic inventory from the 1993 auction. “These scarce prints are the real thing – not copies – and are a captivating part of American history rarely offered to the public,” said Butler. “Other owners of Jackson’s original works include The Library of Congress, Smithsonian and the Colorado Historical Society, so you’d be in good company,” Butler said. “These photochroms are smaller in size, and highly detailed and of exceptional quality, especially for being over 100 years old. Rare miniatures are also part of this exhibit, and the smaller sizes make them more affordable to more people.”
The exhibit will feature 10 original black and white albumen imperial cabinet cards of Mesa Verde sites; 13 framed original photochroms of national park landmarks; and a rare framed photochrom of a Ute runner for Chief Ouray, photographed in Colorado in 1880.
FAD is an acronym for Furniture and Design. It was in April 2016, by local artist Collette Webster and features fiber, glass and ceramic art, sculpture, prints, paintings, and jewelry by artists from the U.S., Mexico, and beyond.