Artwork
Construction of Bridge with Blanchard's Pontoons
Construction of Bridge with Blanchard's Pontoons is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist The Photographic Establishment of the War Department. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This 1858 photograph depicts the construction of a pontoon bridge, capturing a moment in the creation of a temporary water crossing.
About this work
Overview
This 1858 photograph depicts the construction of a pontoon bridge, capturing a moment in the creation of a temporary water crossing.
Subject & Meaning
The image shows workers assembling a bridge by placing wooden planks across floating logs, set against a backdrop of trees and a shoreline, suggesting a military or practical application.
Technique & Style
The sepia-toned photograph, produced by the Photographic Establishment of the War Department, exhibits a characteristic faded quality, indicative of its age and historical photographic processes.
Artist & collection
Artist
The Photographic Establishment of the War Department
These are crisp black-and-white photos made for the U.S. War Department around 1858. They show pontoon bridges being built and cannons lined up like specimens, all recorded with the earliest portable darkroom equipment.…
