Explore CollectionsSouthern Photography

Southern Photography

George N. Barnard (American, 1819–1902), Rebel Works in Front of Atlanta, No.1, 1864, printed 1866, albumen silver print, purchase, 1985.226.39.

Approximately one-third of the High’s Photography collection relates to the South. The material is diverse, ranging from documentation of the Civil War and Great Depression to holdings of major twentieth-century photographers of the region and contemporary artists inspired by the South’s geographical and social landscapes. The collection represents one of the most significant repositories for assessing the South’s contributions to the history of photography. Included are George Barnard’s documentation of Southern infrastructure in the wake of the Civil War, Walker Evans’s landmark work for the Farm Security Administration, and Oraien Catledge’s portraits from Cabbagetown, one of Atlanta’s oldest industrial neighborhoods.