Skip to main content

Half Dome, Merced River, Winter, Yosemite Valley, California

Ansel Adams

Artwork Details

Half Dome, Merced River, Winter, Yosemite Valley, California
1938; printed 1980
Ansel Adams
gelatin silver print on paper
14 11/16 in x 19 5/16 in (37.31 cm x 49.05 cm);26 3/16 in x 32 3/16 in (66.52 cm x 81.76 cm);22 3/16 in x 28 1/16 in (56.36 cm x 71.28 cm)
Gift of Harry H. Lunn, Jr.
1987/1.171

On Display

Not currently on display

Description

Subject Matter:

This photograph depicts a scenic view of Half Dome, in Yosemite Valley, California, during wintertime. Rising above a tranquil river with snow-covered banks, the windswept granite dome gleams brightly in the sunshine. Located in the center of the frame, the lightest part of the image are the snowy slopes of Half Dome. The sunlit mountain is framed by the darkness of the pine trees situated below, which create a dark compositional band speckled with the whiteness of snow-laden branches. The crisp focus of the photograph enables one to see a panoply of textures in the scene; from the windswept face of Half Dome, the softness of the light-dappled snow banks, to the gentle ripples across the river’s surface. The central composition, the symmetry of the image, and the undisturbed snow lend the image a sense of majestic silence and stillness. 

Physical Description:

The photograph depicts a river lined with snow-covered banks and pine trees and a snow-capped mountain rising in the distance.  

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.