Classic Images: Ansel Adams Photographs

OcTober 17, 2014 - January 11, 2015

There is perhaps no other landscape photographer as well-known, loved, and influential as the great Ansel Adams (1902 - 1984). An environmentalist, pianist, lecturer, writer, master photographer and intense genius, Adams was first drawn to photography in response to his ardent passion for nature. Through his energy and technical mastery, Adams helped propel photography as a valued art form in early 20th century America. Like the Hudson River School painters before him, Adams was profoundly instrumental in the American value of nature, which led to the establishment of the National and State Park systems in the U.S. He was also drawn to these painters’ romanticism, which led Adams to utilize photographic techniques that heighten drama and effectively capture his heartfelt passion.

Classic Images is a major two-gallery exhibition of over 70 of Ansel Adams’ most famous pictures, printed by the artist himself. It is fully sponsored by Merchants Bank. All photographs are from the collection of Anne Adams Helms and the exhibition is coordinated by Peoria Riverfront Museum, Peoria, Il.