Skip to main content

Monolith, the Face of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, California

Ansel Adams

Artwork Details

Monolith, the Face of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, California
1927, printed 1981
Ansel Adams
gelatin silver print on paper
28 in x 22 in (71.12 cm x 55.88 cm);19 1/8 in x 14 3/8 in (48.58 cm x 36.51 cm); ; ; ;32 1/4 in x 26 3/16 in (81.92 cm x 66.52 cm)
Gift of Harry H. Lunn, Jr.
1981/2.160

Description

Subject Matter:

This photograph depicts the steep façade of Half Dome, in Yosemite Valley, California, and was created from an angle close to its summit. Looming upwards into a deep black sky, the monolithic cliff face slopes down through the center of the picture, creating a composition divided by a series of bold, diagonal, tonal shapes. The mountain’s monumentality is emphasized by these dramatic angels, and suggests an almost fluid, wave-like swelling in the striated granite. The deep, sonorous blackness of the sky creates a stark contrast between the sunlit granite and brilliant white snow, and lends a brooding majesty to the image. 

Physical Description:

Photographed near the summit of a snowy mountian peak, this photograph depicts a steep cliff sloping down through the center of the frame.

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.