“The Legacy of J. D. Edwards: Photographs of 20th Century New Orleans”
A lecture by John H. Lawrence
Presented in conjunction with the exhibition A Closer Look: The Antebellum Photographs of Jay Dearborn Edwards, 1858–1861
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
6:30 p.m. • Counting House, 533 Royal Street
Seating is limited; call (504) 523-4662 or e-mail wrc@hnoc.org for reservations.
The photographs of J. D. Edwards, currently on display at The Historic New Orleans Collection, represent the earliest known paper photographs of New Orleans. Edwards’s New Orleans photographs (1858–1861) capture the physical and architectural character of the city on the eve of the Civil War. These cityscapes provide a point of departure and reference for many of the 20th century’s urban-inspired photographers. In the final lecture presented in conjunction with the exhibition A Closer Look, curator John H. Lawrence will discuss pictures of New Orleans made by several photographers, suggesting both affinities and differences between Edwards’s work and their own, and the changing nature of how a city is perceived and photographed. Among the featured photographers are Charles L. Franck, Morgan Whitney, Arnold Genthe, and Clarence John Laughlin.