View on the Mississippi River from the Base of a Dam

Peter Henry Bosse (mentioned on object), 1889

Between 1883 and 1893 Bosse traced the Mississippi from St. Paul, Minnesota, to St. Louis, Missouri. He worked as a mapmaker and photographer for the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). In close to 350 preserved photographs we can see how the USACE transformed the river into a commercial highway. Bosse used the curious cyanotype printing process, which is notable for its crisp, vivid blue tones.

  • Artwork typephotograph
  • Object numberRP-F-2011-41
  • Dimensionsheight 368 mm x width 437 mm, height 265 mm x width 336 mm