Photography & Prints

Tracey Moffatt (Australia/U.S., born 1960). Up in the Sky. 1997. 25 offset lithographs on wove paper. Henry Art Gallery, gift of William and Ruth True, 2016.153. [installation view in The Time. The Place. Contemporary Art from the Collection at the Henry, 2017-2018.] Photo: Jonathan Vanderweit.

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Photography

The Henry is well-known for its photography collection, with extensive holdings dating from the birth of the medium in the 1840s to today.

The Joseph and Elaine Monsen photography collection was established in 1979. With continued gifts from the Monsen family, the photography collection has also been strengthened by major gifts from The Andy Warhol Foundation, Philip A. Bernstein, and Yuri and Zoe Gurevich. It now includes over 3,000 works with examples of the early photographers and mediums, iconic images from master artists from the 20th century, and encompasses the expanding field in the 21st century.

In 2017, the Henry acquired 185 photographic works from the recently disbanded Washington Art Consortium (WAC)—the entirety of the photography holdings.

In 2016, the annual Monsen Photography Lecture series was established to bring key makers and thinkers in photographic art to the Pacific Northwest. Named after Drs. Joseph and Elaine Monsen, the series is designed to further knowledge about and appreciation for the art of photography.

Shannon Ebner (U.S., born 1971). Ampersand.

2009. Chromogenic color print. Henry Art Gallery, gift of David Hoberman, Los Angeles, 2013.138. Courtesy Wallspace Gallery.

<p>Carrie Mae Weems, Untitled (from the Sea Islands series), 1992. Chromogenic color (Ektacolor) print. Joseph and Elaine Monsen Photography Collection, gift of Joseph and Elaine Monsen and The Boeing Company, 97.185.1-.3.</p>

Carrie Mae Weems (U.S., born 1953). Untitled.

(from the Sea Islands series). 1992. Chromogenic color print. Henry Art Gallery, Joseph and Elaine Monsen Photography Collection, gift of Joseph and Elaine Monsen and The Boeing Company, 97.185. Image courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, NY.

Carleton E. Watkins (U.S., 1829-1916). Cape Horn, Columbia River.

1868. Albumen print. Henry Art Gallery, Joseph and Elaine Monsen Photography Collection, gift of Joseph and Elaine Monsen and The Boeing Company, 97.182.

Julia Margaret Cameron (England, 1815-1879). Sir John F. W. Herschel.

1867. Albumen print. Henry Art Gallery, Joseph and Elaine Monsen Photography Collection, gift of Joseph and Elaine Monsen and The Boeing Company, 97.35.

William Eggleston (U.S., born 1939). Untitled.

2009. Chromogenic color print. Henry Art Gallery, gift of David Hoberman, Los Angeles, 2013.138. Courtesy Wallspace Gallery.

<p>Hiroshi Sugimoto. <em>Catherine Parr. </em>1999. Gelatin silver print. Henry Art Gallery, Virginia and Bagley Wright Collection, 2014.185. Photo credit: Copyright Hiroshi Sugimoto, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.</p>

Hiroshi Sugimoto. (Japan, born 1948). Catherine Parr.

1999. Gelatin silver print. Henry Art Gallery, Virginia and Bagley Wright Collection, 2014.185. Copyright Hiroshi Sugimoto, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.

Prints

The Henry’s print collection tells the history of artists and ideas starting in the 16th century Europe and America, and also of Japanese ukiyo-e color woodcut prints. The Northwest Printmakers exemplify mid-late 20th century American artists, printmakers, and teachers living and working in the Pacific Northwest. The Henry has strong holdings from contemporary print publishers, the collaborative workshops that grew out of the U.S. post-war era during which artists with broad artistic practices and international careers together created works that they were unable to realize alone.

The Stimson Bullitt Collection, a gift of Dorothy Stimson Bullitt is a collection of prints that was first shown at the Seattle Public Library’s Black and White Loan Exhibition in 1909, which was organized by The Seattle Fine Arts Association. Included in this gift are works by James McNeil Whistler and Seymour Haden, both of whom were active in the British print revival movement.

In 2017, Albert Feldmann gifted the Henry with 200 European prints dating from the 15th to 19th centuries including works by Durer, Goya, and Hogarth. With this generous gift, the Henry’s collection, which already had strong holdings in the 19th and 20th centuries, now offers a complete timeline of the printing process and history of printmaking.

Rirkrit Tiravanija (Argentina, Thailand, born 1961). Untitled (Demonstration no. 146).

2006. Pencil drawing on paper. Henry Art Gallery, gift of David Hoberman, Los Angeles, 2014.286. Image courtesy of the artist and Gavin Brown's Enterprise.

Jeffry Mitchell (U.S., born 1958). Filter (Heaven).

1988. Linocut on glassine paper. Henry Art Gallery, gift of Greg Kucera and Larry Yocom. 2016.177.

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (U.S., born 1940). Modern Times.

1993. Lithograph with color copy on Springhill Relay Plus BFK Rives paper. Henry Art Gallery, gift of Janice Niemi and Dennis Braddock, 2006.22.

Kiki Smith (Germany/U.S., born 1954). Puppet.

1993-1994. Photogravure, etching, and aquatint on Gampi paper hinged to Kouzi-Kizuki with collage and string additions. Henry Art Gallery, gift of John and Shari Behnke, 2002.68.

Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes (Spain, 1746-1828). Que se rompe la cuerda (May the cord break).

1810-1820. Etching, drypoint, aquatint, and burnishing on wove paper. Henry Art Gallery, gift of Albert A. Feldmann, 2017.259.

Ria Brodell (U.S., born 1977). Jeanne or Jean Bonnet, 1849 - 1876 United States (from the Butch Heroes series).

2012. Gouache on paper. Henry Art Gallery, purchased with funds from the Ambrose and Viola H. Patterson Endowment Fund, 2017.477. Courtesy of the artist.