St. Anthony and Minneapolis 1857

Benjamin Franklin Upton made this photograph, St. Anthony and Minneapolis, with albumen print. The eye is immediately drawn to the flat, expansive view that captures the fledgling cities, mediated by the river’s sinuous form. Upton masterfully uses tonal gradations and aerial perspective to subtly define depth. The photograph’s composition is divided into distinct horizontal layers: from the rooftops in the foreground, the river leads the eye to the clustered buildings and trees further into the scene. The tonal range functions semiotically as a record of nineteenth-century urban expansion and its impact on the natural landscape. The high vantage point isn't accidental; it's a deliberate attempt to chart and comprehend the rapid urban development of the time. The photograph, therefore, invites us to consider the implications of progress. Its significance lies not just in its aesthetic qualities, but in its subtle commentary on the changing American landscape.