Name/Title
Pyramid Mountain, Jasper Park, AlbertaEntry/Object ID
2015.01.04Description
Photograph
This hand-tinted black and white photograph shows Pyramid Mountain, aptly named for its shape, situated in Jasper National Park in Alberta. Sir James Hector named the mountain in 1859 due to its appearance from the Athabasca River valley on the eastern side of the peak. Spanning over 11,000 square km, Jasper is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, the Park is known for its vast wilderness, majestic peaks, abundant wildlife and outstanding natural beauty.Photograph Details
Type of Photograph
Hand-tinted black and white photo on paperSubject Place
Region
Cascades and PlateauContinent
North AmericaContext
Sir James Hector KCMG FRS FRSE (1834-1907) was a Scottish-New Zealand geologist, naturalist, and surgeon who accompanied the Palliser Expedition, known officially as the British North American Exploring Expedition, that investigated the geography, climate and ecology of what would later become western Canada, 1857-60. Of note, at one point Hector was kicked in the chest by his horse; however, his premature burial was cancelled when he regained consciousness. The B.C.-Alberta border pass and nearby river have been known since as Kicking Horse Pass and Kicking Horse River.
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Jasper National Park comprises mountains, valleys, glaciers, forests, alpine meadows, and rivers along the eastern slopes of the Rockies in western Alberta. It includes close to 1,000 km of hiking trails. There are backcountry campsites, lodges, horse outfitters, and hiking/interpretive guides. The Alpine Club of Canada also manages four alpine huts.
Established in 1907, Jasper protects wildlife that was once commonplace in the West. Strong populations of plants and animals persevere in the park where its elevation, geology, geography, and climate serve as a safe habitat for a variety of species, including nearly 70 species of mammals such as elk, moose and grizzly bears. Jasper is part of the UNESCO Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, one of 15 World Heritage sites in Canada.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Joseph Frederick Spalding (1877-1958)Role
PhotographerDate made
n.d.Time Period
20th CenturyNotes
PHOTOGRAPHER BIOGRAPHY
Born in London, England, Joseph Frederick Spalding was a prolific Canadian commercial photographer, active around B.C. and beyond. Immigrating to Canada in 1898, he first worked as a bookkeeper in Morrissey. He subsequently established himself as a photographer in Fernie in the Elk Valley of southeastern B.C, and partnered with Robert Strathearn as Spalding and Strathearn. After his move to Vancouver in 1924, he became a sales manager with the Gowen Sutton Company Ltd. After working as a solo photographer in the 1930s and 1940s, he started a photo publishing firm, Camera Products, around 1948. He reportedly last worked in photography in 1957.
For some two decades Spalding worked from his Fernie studio and documented local history and events where his photos were used extensively to promote the town, such as in the Fernie Free Press souvenir editions. The town of Fernie was young, founded in 1898 and incorporated in 1904, but it was experiencing rapid economic growth as a result of the discovery of coal seams in the Elk Valley, which subsequently brought in both the railway and the logging industry. Spalding, who advertised himself as an ‘Artistic Photographer’ showed Fernie as a boom town surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. Many of his images were used as postcards, allowing his photographs to reach out across Canada and perhaps further.
Spalding also found professional success with tourist associations and traveled in Canada, the United States and Mexico. He published a number of illustrated works while in Fernie. Enamoured of automobile tourism, he also published an Official Automobile Road Guide for British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
Inscription, SignatureLocation
In pencil, title (lower left) and artist signature (lower right) on lower edge of mountDimensions
Dimension Description
SupportHeight
17.8 cmWidth
24.1 cmAcquisition
Acquisition Method
PurchaseDate
2015Relationships
Related Entries
Notes
By Joseph Frederick Spalding:
2014.07.08 Mount Rundle, Banff (Attrib.)
2015.01.04 Pyramid Mt. Jasper Park, Alta.
2015.01.12 Consolation Lake Mt. Quadra, Alta.
