[Geysers] Bryant's PICTURESQUE AMERICA

[Lee_Whittlesey at nps.gov]

Scott---I've taken a look at William Cullen Bryant's PICTURESQUE AMERICA,
1872 edition, the large ornate book that we have here, and here is what
I've found.

There are many artists represented in this book. Harry Fenn is foremost as
far as the number of drawings he has in here, but there are many others,
which I've listed below.

The frontispiece is by Fenn. The opening page is by R. Hinchelwood. The
Preface is written by Bryant. The table of contents lists both author and
artist. Many of the artists' drawings are by Fenn but others listed in the
table of contents are R. Swain Gifford, Granville Perkins, Alfred R. Waud
(well described by Peter Hassrick in his Yellowstone art book), L.D.
Woodward, W.L. Sheppard, C. Griswold, William Hart, James D. Smillie, and
W.H. Gibson.

In addition to ink and woodcut drawings, there are steel engravings in the
book. Both artist and steel engraver are listed in the table of contents as
follows:

Artist                         Engraver
Homer Martin                   S.V. Hunt, R. Hinshelwood
Thomas Moran                W. Wellstood
A.C. Warren                        D.G. Thompson
A.S. Hazeltine                     E.P. Brandard



Your cave illustration is indeed identified in the table of contents as
"Weyer's Cave, Virginia."

The Yellowstone artists are mostly identified for the portion of the book
titled "Our Great National Park," pp. 292-315.  The illustrations and their
artists are as follows:

(Looking south from Livingston into Paradise Valley)---Harry Fenn
Canon of Yellowstone---A. Harral
Gorge of Yellowstone---unsigned, but I recognize it as a Moran drawing from
Scribner's Monthly. This is the drawing that is touted as being the very
narrow gorge that Moran drew before he went to Yellowstone.

Upper Yellowstone Falls---Thomas Moran
Lower Falls---"HF" colophon at lower left, meaning Harry Fenn.
Cliffs on the Yellowstone---"Filmer"
Tower Creek---HF colophon at lower left and "WJL" [W.J. Linton] at lower
right
Tower Falls---HF colophon at bottom left and W.J. Linton at bottom right.
Yellowstone Lake---HF colophon and "Langridge" (?) at bottom right.
First Boat---HF initials
Hot Spring Cone (Fishing Cone)---unsigned. This may be by William Henry
Holmes, as a very similar drawing by him appears in the Hayden reports.
Hot Springs---"Meeder"
Liberty Cap---unsigned.
Mud Springs---"Harley"
Soda Springs---"Harley"
Giant Geyser---HF initials at bottom left and W.J. Linton at bottom right.


This Bryant book is one of MANY of this type that were published in the
1870s. I know of at least six of this "travel America" type and most had
BEAUTIFUL woodcut drawings and/or steel engravings of Yellowstone as well
as many other places in the country. The ALDINE magazine published large
drawings of Yellowstone (similar to these) in the 1870s.

I hope this information is useful.

Lee Whittlesey
Park Historian, NPS
YNP



                                                                                                                                
                      TSBryan at aol.com                                                                                           
                                               To:       Lee_Whittlesey at nps.gov                                                 
                      04/13/2006 06:38         cc:                                                                              
                      PM EDT                   Subject:  Re: Bryant                                                             
                                                                                                                                




In a message dated 4/13/2006 7:26:36 AM Pacific Standard Time,
Lee_Whittlesey at nps.gov writes:
 Scott---I'm not sure that I believe that Bryant's book was really Fenn's.
 We have this book here, the 1872 version, in all of its ornate splendor.
 Neither the book nor the cataloging information says anything about Fenn.
 Every bibliography I've ever seen over the years credits the book to
 Bryant.
Lee:

Note that it was your referral, Peter Hassrick, who stated that "The Giant
Geyser" and _Picturesque America_ were by Harry Fenn.

Since you have the book there -- can you say whether or not if it appears
that all of the illustrations are by the same person, or does it look like
there were different illustrators involved? In any case, further research
has shown that Bryant WAS the editor and wrote a foreword or preface or
some such, this in his capacity as editor at the publishing company, but
that was the extent of his involvement. It also seems abundantly clear that
Fenn's other books (_Picturesque Europe_ and _Picturesque Palestine, Sinai
and Egypt_) are indeed Fenn's in their entirety.

Another thing -- at the bottom right of the illustration of "The Giant
Geyser" is what appears on my copies to be a name -- but I cannot read it
except that it appears to begin with "WILL...". However, although the
remainder is not readable, it certainly is not "...iam Cullen Bryant". But
neither does it look like "Harry Fenn".

Back to you.

Scott