Gary Saretzky Photo Books
Spoon River. Truly Did My Camera Record Their Faces: Spoon River Anthology and Nineteenth-Century Photographs from the Collection of John P. Schaefer.
Spoon River. Truly Did My Camera Record Their Faces: Spoon River Anthology and Nineteenth-Century Photographs from the Collection of John P. Schaefer.
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November 21, 1993-February 27, 1994. Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, 1994. [Edgar Lee Masters' poems juxtaposed with cabinet card portraits from the John P. Schaefer collection by a number of United States photographers.] Wraps, 48 pages, fine. Summary:
Published in 1994 by the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, this 48-page publication accompanied an exhibition that ran from late 1993 to early 1994. The volume presents a unique interdisciplinary bridge between American literature and historical photography.
Core Concept
The book juxtaposes the poems of Edgar Lee Masters from his famous 1915 work, Spoon River Anthology, with 19th-century photographic portraits—specifically cabinet cards—drawn from the private collection of John P. Schaefer (a photographer, author, and former president of the University of Arizona).
The title itself, "Truly did my camera record their faces," is drawn directly from the text of Masters' poem "Rutherford McDowell" from the anthology.
Key Features
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The Interplay of Text and Image: Spoon River Anthology consists of free-verse epitaphs spoken from beyond the grave by the former residents of a fictional, small-town American community. By pairing these haunting, deeply personal literary confessions with real, anonymous 19th-century studio portraits taken by various early American photographers, the book breathes physical life into Masters' characters.
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A Portrait of an Era: The cabinet cards reflect the stark, solemn, and proud countenances of everyday Americans from the late 1800s. The juxtaposition underscores the shared human struggles, lost faiths, and quiet strengths common to small-town American life at the turn of the century.
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Historical and Artistic Value: Beyond its literary resonance, the publication highlights the artistic merit of early commercial studio portraiture, showcasing the craftsmanship of early American photographers and the preservation efforts of the John P. Schaefer collection.
