In December 1974, Arnold Gilbert, a nationally prominent photography collector, donated a collection of prints to Rockford Art Museum that collectively represent almost the entire history of photography. After having already gifted several prints to museums such as the Art Institute of Chicago, Gilbert decided to donate his collection to RAM because of its strong photographic program, including its juried exhibits and photographic workshops. His vision for the collection was that it be seen and utilized by students and the general public, which has been realized through RAM’s regular display of photography and, now, Glimpse

The exhibition draws from the 140 photographs that comprise the Arnold Gilbert Photography Collection of Rockford Art Museum, which boasts major figures in the history of photography. Works on display include landscapes by Ansel Adams, documentary images of the Civil War by Mathew Brady, documentary portraits of Mexico and its people by Manuel Carrillo, and landscapes by Brett Weston. The exhibition includes didactic material about the photographers, photographic processes, equipment, and the acceptance of photography in society via images, cartoons, newspaper reports and historic equipment. The earliest processes – daguerreotype, ambrotype and tintype – are also represented by samples from the collection.

For an overview of the exhibition and related education activities, click here.