Mormon Temple, Manti, Utah
| Artist | Ansel Adams (American, 1902–1984) |
|---|---|
| Title | Mormon Temple, Manti, Utah |
| Plate Number | Plate 4 |
| Series | Portfolio One: Twelve Photographic Prints |
| Date | 1948 |
| Medium | Gelatin silver print |
| Dimensions | Image: 9 3/8 x 7 5/16 in. (23.8 x 18.6 cm) Sheet: 9 3/8 x 7 5/16 in. (23.8 x 18.6 cm) Mount: 18 × 14 in. (45.7 × 35.6 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 81.48.1D |
| This artwork is currently off display. You may be able to see this artwork by filling out an art viewing room request. | |
A tall, white church stands at the top of a hill at the center of the image. An iron gate is visible at the bottom of the hill in the foreground.
While the great western nature photographer Ansel Adams is best known in this context (images of religious architecture) for depictions of southwestern missions from the 1920s and 1930s, he continued to pursue the dramatic potential of religious architecture in California and Utah. Although he never belonged to a particular denomination, Adams was raised with a strong Emersonian belief in a direct relationship with God through nature. Unlike earlier documentary views, Adams emphasized the Manti Temple's intrinsic spiritual and emotional impact. By eliminating all human or contextual references and focusing on a single tower from a lowered viewpoint, he creats a monumental white obelisk towering over the hillside. The hint of a foreground gate evokes the entrance into a holy place. The temple becomes a symbol of God's greatnes on earth. Adam's photograph captures the very essence of Mormonism's new Zion emerging out of the harsh Utah landscape.
| Plate Number | Plate 4 |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Portfolio One: Twelve Photographic Prints |
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
Request this image
The Eskenazi Museum of Art provides images of its collection, free of charge, upon request.
This artwork is under copyright protection. You can request the image and it will be emailed to you when the request is complete.
Cite this page
"Mormon Temple, Manti, Utah | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=81.48.1D