Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico
Original Photograph Negative: 1941
Artist: Ansel Adams
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More About the Image:
Driving back to Santa Fe on November 1st, 1941 after what had been a disappointing day of picture-making, Ansel Adams brought his car to an abrupt stop, shouting to his traveling companions to bring him his tripod and exposure meter. So great was his sense of urgency, he must have suspected that he was about to make what would become one of the most famous images in fine art photography and the most popular image of his career. As difficult as the sight of the moon rising over the village of Hernandez was to photograph, it was even more convoluted to print. To produce the contrast and balance that has delighted generations of viewers, different areas must be dodged and burned, given more or less exposure in the enlarger, with great care. Despite Ansel’s efforts, and wizardry in the darkroom, he would later state that ‘it is safe to say that no two prints are precisely the same.’ This image would find its way into numerous publications and exhibitions throughout the artists lifetime, and was also included in Ansel's last major project called 'The Museum Set,' a collection of photographs for which he wanted to be remembered. Sets were initially meant to include either 25 or 75 total images, 10 which Ansel picked as absolute and which he considered exemplary to his body of work (colloquially referred to as his 'biggies'). Of all the images considered for the set made throughout the entirety of his career, Moonrise over Hernandez was chosen as one of his ten 'biggies.'
Perhaps no photograph represents the work of Ansel Adams quite like “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico”. One of the most important photographs of the 20th century, “Moonrise” is a masterpiece
Moonrise Over Hernandez, New Mexico (1941). It is the image that almost didn’t occur. For fifty years, the dating of this fateful image remained in question. It was approaching twilight on an autumn day in 1941.
So wrote Ansel Adams, whose photographs of the varied and rugged landscapes of the region have imprinted upon the imaginations of millions around the world. Beyond Yosemite and the High Sierra, the Southwest was one of Ansel’s best-loved regions of the country
Printed c. 1981-1982 by the New York Graphic Society in partnership with Ansel Adams, these limited edition, deluxe signed posters showcase three of Ansel’s most famous photographs: “Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite Valley” “Moonrise Hernandez, New Mexico,” and “Aspens, Northern New Mexico.”
