Feb 28, 2012 - Sale 2270

Sale 2270 - Lot 14

Unsold
Estimate: $ 20,000 - $ 30,000
WATKINS, CARLETON (1829-1916)
"Ferry boat at Solano, California." Mammoth albumen print, 15x22 inches (38.1x55.9 cm.), on the original mount measuring 22x28 inches (55.9x71.1 cm.). 1880s

Additional Details

When it was constructed in 1879, the "Solano," which was the largest ferry boat in the world, was built to carry the railroad from Contra Costa across the Carquinex Straits on its way to San Francisco. Watkins has carefully composed the picture to give it a marvelous dimensionality, one that takes advantage of the strict symmetric verticals and the diagonal lines across the tracks. Interestingly, while Watkins made a stereo view of this same scene, this monocular view has a strong stereoscopic feel.