Mirror View of Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite 1870 - 1874

Carleton E. Watkins's "Mirror View of Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite" (1870-1874) captures the grandeur of the Yosemite Valley. This large-format photograph, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features a mirror-like reflection of the iconic Cathedral Rocks in a still body of water. Watkins was renowned for his monumental landscape photography and his use of the wet collodion process, which produced detailed and rich tonal qualities. The image exemplifies the Romantic aesthetic of the 19th century, emphasizing the sublime beauty of nature and its awe-inspiring scale.