Large format hand
tinted color photograph of petrified logs in the Petrified Forest of Northern
Arizona. Mounted and matted with Willis’s Gallup NM stamped mark on the corner
of the matting. This is a fancy mount as there is also a clear plastic covering
over the image and under the matting. *Joseph R Willis
(1876-1960) is best known for his Indian photographs, paintings and
Southwestern landscapes. In 1917 on his way to New York to discuss cartoon
syndication, he stopped in Arizona to sketch Hopi Indians. He decided to stay
in the Southwest and moved to Gallup NM. He set himself up as a photographer
and could use those images as sources for his paintings. Willis was known as
the Aspen King, because of his wonderful paintings of Aspen trees. In 1931 he
moved to Albuquerque. Many of his images were used to make view-master reels
and postcards. Overall 10” x 14” with visible image of 5 ½” x 9 ½”. Image is
clean and bright. There is some light edge wear on the matting. See images.