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Tropical Scenery, Isthmus of Darien, Panama
Tropical Scenery, Isthmus of Darien, Panama

Tropical Scenery, Isthmus of Darien, Panama

Artist John Moran (American, born England, 1831 - 1903)
Date1871
MediumAlbumen print
DimensionsOverall: 11 1/8 × 8 inches (28.26 × 20.32 cm)
Credit LineGift of Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Object number2005.27.189
On View
Not on view
Collections
DescriptionImage of a dense tropical landscape with a large tree stump extending into the lower left corner.Gallery Label
In 1871 Moran worked as the official photographer for the Darien Survey, a Navy expedition led by Commander Thomas O. Selfridge Jr., to determine the feasibility of a canal across the Isthmus of Darien, Panama. Given the engineering technologies of the day, Selfridge's findings were not encouraging. This photograph speaks volumes: the luxuriant jungle growth appears as impenetrable as a brick wall.
Published References
G. A. Maack, "The Secret of the Strait," Harper's New Monthly Magazine 47:282 (November 1873): 801-20.
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