Desert Lake, near Ragtown, Nevada 1867

Timothy O'Sullivan's 1867 photograph, "Desert Lake, near Ragtown, Nevada," captures a desolate yet strangely beautiful landscape. The image shows a small, shimmering lake surrounded by sparse desert vegetation, the horizon dominated by a vast expanse of parched earth. O'Sullivan, known for his photographic documentation of the American West, uses the photograph to portray the harsh realities of this environment, emphasizing the vastness and solitude of the landscape. The photograph is a testament to O'Sullivan's mastery of landscape photography and provides a glimpse into the raw beauty of the American West during the mid-19th century.