'Light of the Silvery Moon' dims at the National Gallery of Art

Warren De La Rue, Full Moon, 1858-1859, stereoscopic glass transparency, printed 1862, Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon, National Gallery of Art

If you missed the moon show at the National Gallery of Art, you may see some of the photographs here and more of them at the National Gallery's website.

Last year marked the Golden Anniversary of the first moon landing by humans which the National Gallery commemorated with a display titled By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Phonographs showcasing 50 historic moon shots spanning 100 years.

Lewis M. Rutherfurd, Photographie de la lune a son 1er Quartier, March 6, 1865, albumen print, Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon and Patrons' Permanent Fund, National Gallery of Art

In a mostly chronological arrangement, the exhibition began with a stenographic print made of the moon in 1858 and continued on with pictures from the 1960s Space Age. Pictures made by the first lunar astronauts and notable visuals from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration hung on the walls and lay in display cases.  They are part of the National Gallery's vast photography collection of more than 16,000 works. 

Charles Le Morvan, Carte photographique de la lune, planche XVII.A (Photographic Chart of the Moon, plate XVII.A), August 27, 1902, photogravure, printed 1914, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Earthrise across Mare Smythii, July 16-24, 1969, chromogenic print, gift of Mary and Dan Solomon, National Gallery of Art

A photograph in the exhibition by Warren De La Rue (1815-1889) of Great Britain opened the show.  He began his moon picture-taking in 1852 and is credited with making the first stereoscopic moon prints (1858).

American lawyer Lewis M. Rutherfurd took a moon shot in its first quarter in 1865. His moon passion led to him to technological advancements and clear lunar pictures.  (Mr. Rutherfurd built an observatory at his Manhattan residence.) 

The French entered the picture with the 1862 publication of Our Satellite by Dr. A. Le Vengeur d'Onrsan (1800-1899), the first of a planned series to define the Moon's mapping ("selenography"; try that on a logophile), but, alas, the good doctor was accused of stealing Mr. De La Rue's pictures and Our Satellite never saw completion.

Gallery curators Sarah Greenough and Diane Waggoner spent hours studying and researching photos from the collection before making final choices for this presentation of American achievement.

Mugs, puzzles, jewelry, stationery, photographs, and more moon merchandise are still available in the Gallery shops.

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