Artist

George Masa (Primary)

Title

untitled [Chimney Top at Sunset, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park]

Date

circa 1920

Century

20th century

Medium & Support

Gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions

Sheet: 8 x 10 1/8 in. , Image: 7 3/8 x 9 3/8 in. , Window: 6 7/8 x 9 1/8 in.

Style

Art Photography

Object Type

Photographs

Credit Line

Museum purchase with funds provided by the Nat C. Myers Photography Fund

Accession Number

2005.02.03.91

Copyright

No Known Copyright

Masa began his life in Asheville, NC, in 1915 as an employee of The Grove Park Inn. He is best known for the photographic works he made to advocate for the preservation of the Great Smoky Mountains. His work, such as this photograph of Chimney Tops at sunset, was essential to the transformation of parts of the region into federally protected national parks. The proliferation of his photographs, a result of his laborious tracking of the Western North Carolina terrain and beyond, also brought national and international attention to Western North Carolina as a site for adventure-seekers. Masa died impoverished from tuberculosis, receiving greatest recognition for his photography and contributions to the National Park Service after his death. In 1961 the US Geodetic Survey designated an unnamed peak in the Smokies as Masa Knob.

Exhibition Title: Asheville Art Museum: An Introduction to the Collection
Label Date:
Type: Object entry
Written by: Michelle Lee

George Masa came to Asheville, NC, in 1915 shortly after immigrating to America. He was passionate about the Smoky Mountains and the preservation of their natural beauty. His untiring work documenting the mountains helped to draw international attention to conservation efforts and to opportunities for tourists in Western North Carolina. In 1961, the U.S. Geodetic Survey designated an unnamed peak in the Smokies as Masa Knob.

Exhibition Title: Intersections in American Art
Label Date: November 2019 - June 2020
Type: Extended label

• mountains