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Wagon and Buildings

George A. Tice; Lee Witkin / Witkin Gallery,

Artwork Details

Wagon and Buildings
1965; printed 1971
George A. Tice; Lee Witkin / Witkin Gallery,
gelatin silver print on paper
4 3/8 x 5 3/4 in. (11.11 x 14.61 cm);19 x 14 in. (48.26 x 35.56 cm)
Gift of the Marvin Felheim Collection
1983/1.295.1

Description

Subject Matter:

This print opens the portfolio Bodie, twelve photographs depicting various aspects of an abandoned gold town in eastern California. Wagon and Buildings provides a sense of the sweeping landscape in this part of the state, with weeds, low hills, and open, cloud-studded skies. At middle ground are two abandoned, late-nineteenth century wooden buildings, which huddle side by side like old friends. The foreground is dominated by a wagon, almost out of place in this desolate landscape, which draws attention to the passing of time. The emptiness of the environment offers a picturesque representation of the ghost town of Bodie, now a National Historic Landmark, as well as a commentary on the boom and bust cycle of American history. 

Physical Description:

A photograph of two wooden buildings in a western landscape with a wagon in the foreground.

Usage Rights:

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