View of Grand Cañon walls, near mouth of Diamond River 1871

Curator: Editor: This is Timothy O'Sullivan's stereograph, "View of Grand Cañon walls, near mouth of Diamond River." It's so small, yet it conveys such a grand sense of scale. What are your thoughts? Curator: The process of creating these images is important. These were produced as part of a survey expedition. The labor of carrying the equipment, processing the images in the field – that’s crucial to understanding the photograph itself, isn't it? Editor: Absolutely. It makes me consider the relationship between the landscape, the labor involved, and the final product. Curator: And the consumption of the image – how these stereographs were distributed and used. It's all connected. Editor: I never thought about it that way before, but it adds so much to the story. Curator: Indeed, considering the materiality of the work helps us appreciate its historical context.