Clear Lake-Mount McIntyre (State land) 1891

Seneca Ray Stoddard captured this image, 'Clear Lake-Mount McIntyre', as a photogravure, likely around the turn of the 20th century. This process, involving etching a copper plate and then printing it, was a step away from direct photography, allowing for mass reproduction in books and magazines. Looking closely, we can see how the soft, continuous tones of the photogravure lend a misty, almost dreamlike quality to the landscape. It is a departure from the sharper, more detailed aesthetic one might associate with photography. This unique appearance results from the way the image is transferred onto the copper plate, and the controlled inking and printing process. Stoddard’s choice of photogravure speaks to a moment when photography was becoming increasingly integrated with print culture, and was considered a high art form. The labor-intensive nature of the process, requiring skilled artisans to produce the plates and prints, elevates the image beyond a mere snapshot, inviting us to consider the social and economic context of its creation. It bridges fine art and industrial production.