“Leave it to Lawrence to construct a publication as dynamic and eccentric as the city itself.”
Jeff L. Rosenheim, Joyce Frank Menschel Curator in Charge, Department of Photographs, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Louisiana Lens
Photographs from The Historic New Orleans Collection
by John H. Lawrence
with a foreword by Jeff L. Rosenheim
From dagguereotype to today, the art of photography has evolved over nearly 200 years. This curated survey traces the history of the medium through HNOC’s photographic holdings.
Louisiana Lens: Photographs from the Historic New Orleans Collection
HNOC 2023
hardcover • 9" × 11.5" • 288 pp.
44 color images; 131 b&w
ISBN 978-0-917860-91-1
$49.95
Louisiana Lens: Photographs from The Historic New Orleans Collection celebrates the achievement of one of America’s leading photography curators. In 175 striking images, ranging from formal 19th-century daguerreotypes to born-digital photographs documenting everything from Hurricane Katrina's aftermath to the joy of a New Orleans second-line parade, author John H. Lawrence charts the history of photography itself while tracing nearly two centuries of growth and change in New Orleans and Louisiana.
Lawrence provides an illuminating narrative for each image, whether offering insight into early photographic processes or sharing his firsthand knowledge of the photographers themselves. In surveying compelling photographs by greats such as Walker Evans, Doris Ulmann, Lewis Hine, Frances Benjamin Johnston, and George Dureau and spotlighting dozens of rare works by unsung or anonymous artists, Lawrence touches on themes of architecture, music, commerce, race, arts and culture, and the changing landscapes and geographies of the US South.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A New Orleans native, John H. Lawrence worked at the Historic New Orleans Collection for 46 years before retiring as director of museum programs at the end of 2020. As the HNOC’s head of curatorial collections, Lawrence had oversight of holdings numbering in excess of 500,000 items. He has written and lectured widely about aspects of contemporary and historic photography, and the administration and preservation of pictorial collections. He has also served as principal or guest curator for dozens of exhibitions on a variety of photographic, artistic, and general historical topics. Lawrence holds degrees in literature and art history from Vassar College and a certificate in museum management from the Getty Leadership Institute, formerly the Museum Management Institute.
Bedou’s Portrait of Piron
In 1923 Arthur P. Bedou, a much sought-after portraitist, made an elegant portrait of New Orleans jazz bandleader Armand J. Piron.
Photography Books by HNOC
Creole World: Photographs of New Orleans and the Latin Caribbean Sphere
by Richard Sexton
with essays by Jay D. Edwards and John H. Lawrence
Perique: Photographs by Charles Martin
with essays by Mary Ann Sternberg and John H. Lawrence
Enigmatic Stream: Industrial Landscapes of the Lower Mississippi River
by Richard Sexton
with essays by Paul Schneider and John H. Lawrence
In the Spirit: The Photography of Michael P. Smith from the Historic New Orleans Collection
with essays by Jason Berry, Dan Cameron, John H. Lawrence, and Jude Solomon
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The Breadth of Carnival Artistry in Nine Photographs
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First Draft
How to Photograph Second Lines the Right Way
A club member, a lawyer, and photographers share the rules of engagement for capturing the action of New Orleans street parades.
Related Holdings
Michael P. Smith Collection
Smith documented the music, parading, and Black folk traditions of New Orleans for decades.
Mother St. Croix Photographs of Ursuline Convent
The ebullient nun documented her cloisters, sisters, and pupils with care and skill. In doing so she became the earliest known woman to photographically record daily life in New Orleans
Braughn Family Photomontage
A dramatic composite photograph depicts a prominent New Orleans family in high style.
Related Virtual Exhibitions
Virtual exhibitions
From Daguerreotype to Digital
A look at over 20 different photographic processes and techniques represented in HNOC’s holdings, from the daguerreotype to the digital prints of today.
Related Exhibitions
Edge of Tomorrow: Aerial Views of Louisiana’s Changing Coastline by Ben Depp
March 7 to October 26, 2025
Seeking an Open Life: Photographs of Lafcadio Hearn’s Japan
October 10, 2019 to January 4, 2020
Enigmatic Stream: Industrial Landscapes of the Lower Mississippi River
September 17, 2019 to April 5, 2020
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