Painted Desert
AA-2026-9A8F30
On the image
A wide expanse of the American Southwest stretches into the distance, a sight people once drove hundreds of miles in non-air-conditioned cars to experience. The landscape is mostly flat, but with subtle variations in colour, which was considered fascinating at the time.
Visitors in the 1970s often felt compelled to document these vast, empty spaces with their simple film cameras, believing the exact shade of rust-coloured dirt would be cherished for generations. The camera, of course, was probably on auto-exposure.
It's the kind of view that suggests geology has been working on this for a very long time, undisturbed by modern ideas about efficiency or quarterly reports. One imagines a brief stop, a few clicks, and then back on the road to the next motel.
The historian's note
This image depicts a sweeping desert landscape, characteristic of the American Southwest. The geological formations visible, particularly the layered bands of colour in the distant mesas and closer badlands, are indicative of environments such as the Painted Desert in Arizona, which is largely encompassed by Petrified Forest National Park.
The 1970s saw a rise in domestic tourism, with national parks and monuments experiencing increased visitation. Landscapes like this were popular subjects for amateur photographers seeking to capture the unique natural beauty of the region.
This photograph documents the appearance of such an environment during this period, providing a historical record of the natural state and the typical photographic practices of the era.
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Southwestern Desert Vista, Painted Desert, Arizona, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-9A8F30. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/southwestern-desert-vista-painted-desert-arizona-1970s.
@misc{aaAA20269A8F30,
title = {Southwestern Desert Vista, Painted Desert, Arizona, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-9A8F30},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/southwestern-desert-vista-painted-desert-arizona-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Southwestern Desert Vista, Painted Desert, Arizona, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-9A8F30 UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/southwestern-desert-vista-painted-desert-arizona-1970s ER -
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