Archives West Finding Aid

The Davis photograph collection as a whole is important for its value as an iconographic collection of mountain images—particularly of Mt. Rainier. Iconography is the use of images as symbols to portray a subject, movement or ideal--such the Statue of Liberty as an icon of freedom and immigration. Symbols help us to define what is sacred to a group. Mt. Rainier serves as the most important symbol for the Seattle and Northwest region. These photographs which were meant to be seen as art by the photographers (rather than for their documentary value) present interpretations of mountains as northwest icons. Hand colored and orotone photos were generally created to be art pieces, even when the original black and white photos may have been for documentary purposes. The presentation of these photographs in ornate frames emphasizes their role in conveying the beauty and majesty of the scenes and the intent of the photographer to present them as art.

Whereas the Space Needle symbolizes the city of Seattle—energetic, modern and eclectic, Mt. Rainier symbolizes our relationship to the land and spiritual qualities of the region, the stability and power of the land along with the underlying natural power of the volcano. For many, the most symbolic aspect of a mountain is the peak because it is believed that it is closest to heaven or to connections with other realms; the majority of photographs in this collection depict the entire mountain or the mountain peak. The person who amassed this collection was a mountain climber who clearly felt these images spoke to his connection and love of the mountain.

The landscape has a powerful significance in the Pacific Northwest psyche. An identification with nature has shaped the culture of the region and continues to provide a distinct regional ethos and identity. The mountains and forests are not only sources of beauty, inspiration and sanctuary -- they are icons for the region and its inhabitants and they create part of the sense of “home” identify for its people.

Within this landscape, Mt. Rainier is the penultimate symbol of the grandeur and majesty of the area, occupying a unique place in the culture and lore of the Pacific Northwest. Its massive peak rises far above the surrounding Cascade Mountains and is the dominate landform on the horizon for more than a hundred miles in any direction. This imposing active volcano has inspired awe and reverence since Native Americans lived in its foothills thousands of years ago. The various tribes had many names for the sacred mountain, and many legends attached to it.

Throughout the late nineteenth century, many more people explored the areas around the mountain, documenting its unique features and appeal. Famed naturalist John Muir, whose writings inspired popular support in the nationwide conservation movement, climbed Rainier in 1888 and recommended that it be designated as a national park. His recommendation contributed to a growing awareness of the grandeurs of Mt. Rainier and a desire to see the area protected from desecration. By 1890, a campaign began to protect the mountain by establishing it as a national park.

The founding of Mt. Rainier National Park was led by local populace and a loose coalition of diverse interest groups such as mountaineering clubs, newspaper editors and businessmen's associations, and supported by scientific and conservation organizations and the Northern Pacific Railroad. These groups actively campaigned for preservation of and access to the area, and pressured Washington State’s senators and congressmen to push the legislation through Congress. One common theme among the supporters was Mt. Rainier’s inspirational value to individuals.

In 1899, President McKinley established Mt. Rainier as the nation's fifth national park, making it the first park to be established after the creation of the National Forest System in 1891. It was also the first park whose long-term development was guided by a master plan. Local groups continued to actively campaign for preservation of and access to the area with Mt. Rainier National Park becoming the first park to admit cars in 1907. In 1912 the Seattle Tacoma Rainier National Park Committee was formed with the goal of increasing national awareness of the park.

Throughout the years, Mt. Rainier continued to inspire visitors, including a group of Japanese immigrant photographers in Seattle who created the Seattle Camera Club in the 1920s, the era when many of these photographs were made. The group often went on photography trips to the mountain. The president of the club, Kyo Koike, referred to it as “the holy mountain.”

Most of the photographers included felt strongly connected to nature, particularly Asahel Curtis who made a third of the photographs in the collection. Curtis was a founding member of the Mountaineers, the Pacific Northwest climbing group that also promoted preservation of wilderness areas. Curtis loved Mt. Rainier, photographed it thousands of times and climbed it dozens of times. He chaired the Mt. Rainier National Park Advisory Committee from 1911-1936, and was a founder of the Rainier National Park Company. He worked to promote accessibility to the park and to boost tourism by building roads within the park’s boundaries.

The Rainier National Park Company's Ranapar Studios created photos specifically to publicize the beauty and increase tourism to Mt. Rainier National Park. Frank A. Jacobs was the official photographer for Rainier National Park Company in 1920s. Fred H. Kiser's photographic work helped to create and promote other national parks, including Crater Lake in Oregon and Glacier in Montana. J. Boyd Ellis specialized in showcasing the beauty of Washington State with his scenic postcards.

Presentation of photos

The "golden age" of hand-colored photography in the western hemisphere occurred between 1900 and 1940. Hand-colored photographs were created by applying color to a black and white print. The process variously included the use of dyes, water-colors, oils, and other pigments to create varying effects on the printed image. Regardless of which medium was used, the main tools used to apply color were the brush and fingertip. Often the fingertip was covered to ensure that no fingerprints were left on the image. By the 1950s, the availability of color film all but stopped the production of hand-colored photographs.

Orotones were at their pinnacle of popularity from the late 1890s into the early 1920s. The images were often natural landmarks and Native Americans. Asahel Curtis, his brother Edward S. Curtis, and other Pacific Northwest photographers were noted practitioners of this process. Orotones were, in most instances, produced by projecting a negative onto a dry gelatin plate of sensitized glass. The result was a positive image. A gold-colored varnish was then either directly painted onto the dried emulsion side of the glass plate, or the metallic coating was brushed onto to a piece of cardstock or metal and subsequently affixed to the back. In some instances, the wet collodion direct positive process was utilized. Various claims exist over the composition of the gold-colored backing. The photographer associated with refining the orotone process, Edward S. Curtis, applied a viscous liquid concoction of banana oil infused with gold bronzing powder to the dried emulsion. According to other sources, a varnish medium was blended with bronze powders that use copper and zinc in their formation. One source identifies the backing as gold leaves. Alternatively, inexpensive gold radiator paint from the automobile industry was reportedly used. This collection includes one imitation "orotone" photograph, where a glass positive was backed with gold cardboard.