Minneapolis 1857

This albumen print, "Minneapolis," was created by Benjamin Franklin Upton. The photograph shows a landscape defined by horizontal lines formed by buildings and roads, creating a structured view of the land. The composition uses a high vantage point, allowing the viewer to survey the scene. We see how Upton manipulated perspective to flatten the space, which gives a sense of the city's emerging order. Upton's work captures a specific moment in the city's development. What is not shown, like the social and economic contexts of the time, offers a complex reading of the photograph. The visual details of the built structures and the arrangement of space can be interpreted through the lens of semiotics. The buildings and roads symbolize progress and expansion. This intersection between form and representation invites ongoing interpretation, reflecting broader cultural narratives of urban development.