Railroad
Vision: Photography, Travel and Vision
by Anne M Lyden
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles,
CA , 2003
180 pp., illus. 107 b/w, 23 col. Trade,
$49.95
ISBN: 0-89236-726-1.
Reviewed by George Shortess
Department of Psychology, Lehigh University
george.shortess@lehigh.edu
This book is a very handsomely produced
volume that is based on an exhibition
of photographs at the J. Paul Getty Museum
in 2002. The wonderful images are mainly
taken from the museum collection and include
ones from both the 19th and
the 20th centuries. The text
provides an excellent outline of the histories
of both the railroads and photography
and the ways in which they were used together.
For example, in order to promote rail
travel, the railroad companies hired photographers
to make images promoting exotic destinations
and the engineering marvels associated
with railroad construction. This is all
a fascinating story, and it is very well
presented in the book.
However, I was intrigued by the title
of the book, Railroad Vision. The
author, Anne Lyden, did not choose something
like, A History of Railroads and Photography.
Is there something special about the work
that is only captured in the title, Railroad
Vision? In the introduction she describes
railroad vision as not only the "social
history of railroads as documented through
photography" but also as a "distinct
way of looking at the world." But
what is this distinct way, and how is
it reflected in the photographs?
She begins by pointing out that with the
introduction of the railroad, much greater
speeds were possible than by previous
means of transportation, such as the stagecoach.
This situation resulted in a rapid sequence
of images and greater differences in apparent
speed of movement of near and far objects
as a train moved along. These effects,
of course, could not be captured directly
in still photographs.
However, she feels that other effects
that define railroad vision can be seen
in the images of the book. For instance,
because one could sit in some comfort
in the train, there was a greater sense
of framing. This experience also results
in a certain amount of detachment from
the environment created by being in the
railroad car.
There was an enhanced feeling of the observer
looking at the world out there. Ever since
perspective became a framework for painting
in the Renaissance, this idea of looking
out on the world through a window, became
a dominant idea in the Western worldview.
Now, with the railroad, this view was
available to all in a more compelling
and immediate way. This is further enhanced
by the use the stereoscope to present
more realistic views. And some stereoscopic
images of railroads are included in the
book.
Other related ideas are developed. The
railroads created a smaller world. Places
that were far away now became accessible.
This was accomplished through the conquering
and the domination of the natural environment
by the railroads. The railroads, as human
inventions, took on a kind of hero status
and were glorified as triumphs of human
intellect and ingenuity.
All of these ideas are, to some extent
at least, exemplified in the photographs
of and about the railroads in the book.
However, the title Railroad Vision,
suggests that these ideas are unique to
railroads. But similar discussions could
be developed for other inventions, such
as the car and the airplane. They were
also heralded as revolutionary and glorified
in photography. So none of these characteristics
seem unique to railroads, although railroads
did come first.
A quite different approach to some of
these issues was taken by Sara Danius
in her book The Senses of Modernism,
reviewed in Leonardo, [1]. She
discusses how certain literary texts can
be used to understand some of the changes
in perception that are related to technological
change in the 19th and 20th
centuries. I think the visual material
from Railroad Vision, also can
be used to help understand larger questions
of perceptual change. A study for another
exhibition and book would be a comparison
of photographs among car, railroad and
airplane, for example.
In summary, the book is a valuable addition
to the literature on railroad history,
and a visual delight. However, I think
the title implies a uniqueness of vision
that is not apparent. The material would
be better presented as part of a larger
picture of modern perceptual change.
Reference
1. George Shortess, "Review of The
Senses of Modernism: Technology, Perception
and Aesthetics," Leonardo
36, No. 5, 415-416 (2003).
