The technological breakthrough of photography during the mid-19th century played a fascinating role in our changing relationship with the landscape, particularly when explored through the history of garden photography. Learn about the ways in which photography became the ideal tool to record these private and public spaces that inspire and nourish. Whether in the formal gardens of Versailles by Eugène Atget or the magic garden of Josef Sudek; the botanical specimens of Anna Atkins and Charles Jones; modernist close-ups by Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, and Karl Blossfeldt; or the contemporary visions of Gregory Crewdson, Tyler Mitchell, Graciela Iturbide, and Mary Mattingly, gardens have captivated photographers since the invention of the medium.
Karen Haas, Lane Curator of Photographs, MFA
Wednesday, April 15, 2026