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{{Short description|American photographer (1859–1939)}}
{{AfC submission|||ts=20240605160904|u=Greghenderson2006|ns=118}}
{{Orphan|date=June 2024}}
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{{Short description|American photographer (1859-1939)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Edgar A. Cohen
| name = Edgar A. Cohen
| birth_name = Edgar Andrew Cohen
| birth_name = Edgar Andrew Cohen
| image = Edgar Andrew Cohen.jpg
| image = Edgar Andrew Cohen.jpg
| caption = Cohen waiting for a blueprint to tone
| caption =
| birth_date = September 23, 1859
| birth_date = September 23, 1859
| birth_place = [[Alameda]], [[California]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Alameda, California|Alameda]], California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1939|04|07|1859|09|23|}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1939|04|07|1859|09|23|}}
| death_place = [[Alameda, California]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Alameda, California]], U.S.
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| known_for = [[Landscape photography]]
| known_for = [[Landscape photography]]
| style =
| style =
| occupation = [[Photographer]]
| occupation = Photographer
| years_active = 1898-1925
| years_active = 1898–1925
| awards =
| awards =
| spouse =
| spouse =
Line 25: Line 26:
*{{marriage|Emily June| 1903}}}}
*{{marriage|Emily June| 1903}}}}
}}
}}
'''Edgar A. Cohen''' (September 23, 1859 – April 7, 1939), also known as '''E.A. Cohen ''' was an American [[photographer]] known for his early [[landscape photography]], which captured landmarks such as [[Yosemite Falls]], [[Mount Tamalpais]], and the [[California Missions]]. He gained recognition for documenting the aftermath of the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake]]. Cohen's work is distinguished by his technique of [[hand-colouring of photographs]]. His collection of 2,140 images, including glass negatives and original prints, is held at the Monterey County Historical Society.
'''Edgar A. Cohen''' (September 23, 1859 – April 7, 1939) was an American photographer known for his early [[landscape photography]], which captured landmarks such as [[Yosemite Falls]], [[Mount Tamalpais]], and the [[California Missions]]. He documented the aftermath of the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake]]. Cohen's work is distinguished by his technique of [[hand-colouring of photographs]].


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Cohen was born on February 4, 1885, in [[Alameda, California]], to [[Alfred A. Cohen]], a well-known lawyer in the area. He married Jessie Gray Booth on October 21, 1886, in San Francisco.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-marriage-of-b/148698128/ |title=The City Weddings. Cohen-Booth|work=The San Francisco Examiner|place=San Francisco, California|date=October 28, 1886|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> The couple had two children together.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-enquirer-commission-merchant/148714133/ |title=Couple Are Well Known In Society Of Encinal City|work=Oakland Enquirer
Cohen was born on February 4, 1885, in [[Alameda, California]], to Alfred A. Cohen, a lawyer. He married Jessie Gray Booth on October 21, 1886, in San Francisco.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-marriage-of-b/148698128/|title=The City Weddings. Cohen-Booth|work=The San Francisco Examiner|place=San Francisco, California|date=October 28, 1886|access-date=2024-06-03|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619202823/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-marriage-of-b/148698128/|url-status=live}}</ref> The couple had two children together.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-enquirer-commission-merchant/148714133/|title=Couple Are Well Known In Society Of Encinal City|work=Oakland Enquirer|place=Oakland, California|date=October 23, 1902|page=2|access-date=2024-06-03|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619202828/https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-enquirer-commission-merchant/148714133/|url-status=live}}</ref> They divorced in 1902, during which time Cohen was a [[Merchant|commission merchant]] of San Francisco.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-jessie-g-booth/148713158/|title=Alameda Society Couple Divorced|work=Oakland Tribune|place=Oakland, California|date=October 22, 1902|page=3|access-date=2024-06-03|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619202826/https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-jessie-g-booth/148713158/|url-status=live}}</ref> He later remarried Emily June.<ref name="Obituary"/>
|place=Oakland, California |date=October 23, 1902|page=2|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> They divorced in 1902, during which time Cohen was a [[Merchant|commission merchant]] of San Francisco.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-jessie-g-booth/148713158/|title=Alameda Society Couple Divorced|work=Oakland Tribune|place=Oakland, California|date=October 22, 1902|page=3 |access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> He later remarried Emily June.<ref name="Obituary"/>


==Career==
==Career==
[[File:Yosemite Valley Railroad At The Mine (1907).jpg|thumb|[[Yosemite Valley Railroad]] At The Mine (1907) by Cohen]]
[[File:Yosemite Valley Railroad At The Mine (1907).jpg|thumb|[[Yosemite Valley Railroad]] At The Mine (1907) by Cohen]]
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Cohen began his photography career in 1898, with some of his earliest works featuring his family estate in [[Fernside, Alameda, California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://alamedapost.com/history/a-a-cohens-fernside-estate/|title=A.A. Cohen's Fernside Estate|work=Alameda Post|author=Dennis Evanosky|date=July 28, 2023|access-date=2024-06-03|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619202828/https://alamedapost.com/history/a-a-cohens-fernside-estate/|url-status=live}}</ref> He traveled throughout the state, capturing images of [[Mount Tamalpais]], [[Yosemite National Park|Yosemite]], and many of the [[Spanish missions in California|California Missions]]. He photographed [[Mission San Juan Capistrano]], [[Mission Santa Barbara]], and [[Yosemite Falls]] for ''The New Photo-miniature'' (1908).<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k101AAAAMAAJ|title=The New Photo-miniature|volume=8|journal=Tennant and Ward|place=University of Michigan|issue=85–90|date=1908|access-date=2024-06-03|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619202826/https://books.google.com/books?id=k101AAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>


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Cohen described Monterey County, "the best place to photograph over any place I know." Cohen used a {{convert|5|in|mm}} x {{convert|7|in|mm}} Pony Premo No. 6 folding field camera. His collection includes {{convert|5|in|mm}} x {{convert|7|in|mm}} glass negatives and original prints, some of which are [[Hand-colouring of photographs|hand-colored]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mchsmuseum.com/local-history/people/california-views-the-pat-hathaway-collection-of-historical-photographs/|title=Monterey County Historical Society|place=Salinas, California|access-date=2024-06-03|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619202835/https://mchsmuseum.com/local-history/people/california-views-the-pat-hathaway-collection-of-historical-photographs/|url-status=live}}</ref>
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Cohen began his photography career in 1898, with some of his earliest works featuring his family estate in [[Fernside, Alameda, California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://alamedapost.com/history/a-a-cohens-fernside-estate/|title=A.A. Cohen's Fernside Estate |work=Alameda Post|author=Dennis Evanosky|date=July 28, 2023|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> He traveled extensively throughout the state, capturing images of [[Mount Tamalpais]], [[Yosemite National Park|Yosemite]], and many of the [[Spanish missions in California|California Missions]]. He photographed [[Mission San Juan Capistrano]], [[Mission Santa Barbara]], and [[Yosemite Falls]] for ''The New Photo-miniature'' (1908).<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_New_Photo_miniature/k101AAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 |title=The New Photo-miniature|volume=8|journal=Tennant and Ward|place=University of Michigan|issue=85-90|date=1908|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref>


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[[File:The American annual of photography (1912) (14579215708).jpg|thumb|Down the Monterey Coast (1912) by Cohen]]
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Cohen described Monterey County, “the best place to photograph over any place I know.” Using a {{convert|5|in|mm}} x {{convert|7|in|mm}} Pony Premo No. 6 folding field camera, Cohen recorded his views. His collection includes {{convert|5|in|mm}} x {{convert|7|in|mm}} glass negatives and original prints, some of which are [[Hand-colouring of photographs|hand-colored]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mchsmuseum.com/local-history/people/california-views-the-pat-hathaway-collection-of-historical-photographs/ |title=Monterey County Historical Society|work=Monterey County Historical Society|place=Salinas, California|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref>

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[[File:The American annual of photography (1912) (14579215708).jpg|thumb|left|Down the Monterey Coast (1912) by Cohen]]
[[File:George Sterling on rocks in Carmel.jpg|thumb|[[George Sterling]] on rocks in Carmel (1908) by Cohen]]
[[File:George Sterling on rocks in Carmel.jpg|thumb|[[George Sterling]] on rocks in Carmel (1908) by Cohen]]


Cohen frequently visited Carmel-by-the-Sea from 1905 to 1925. In November 1918, Cohen purchased three lots in Carmel on Lincoln Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. His earliest photographs were of the [[Old Custom House (Monterey, California)|Custom House]] in Monterey. He worked for the [[Pacific Improvement Company]], and some of his photographs, include the [[Del Monte Forest, California|Del Monte Forest]], were featured in the August 1910 issue of ''Del Monte Weekly.'' Cohen became friends with fellow photographer [[Louis S. Slevin]], and on February 8, 1906, they photographed [[Point Lobos]] from a hill above Monastery Beach. A week later, they went to [[Mission San Antonio de Padua|Mission San Antonio]] to photographed the mission. On March 17, 1910, Cohen captured an image of Slevin under a "triangle of oaks" on Camino Real in Carmel. Cohen photographed several [[Bohemianism|Bohemian]] artists, including [[George Sterling|George and Carrie Sterling]], the [[Alice MacGowan|MacGowan]] sisters, [[Mary Hunter Austin|Mary Austin]]'s "wick-i-up," and [[Frederick R. Bechdolt|Fred Bechdolt]]. Many of his photos were made into postcards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/ccarm_004457/mode/2up?q=|title=Contagion of early Carmel was captured on glass |author=Ronna Zinn Elliott|work=Carmel Pine Cone|place=Carmel-by-the-Sea, California|pages=1, 4|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref>
In November 1918, Cohen purchased property in Carmel. He worked for the [[Pacific Improvement Company]], and some of his photographs, including the [[Del Monte Forest, California|Del Monte Forest]], were featured in the August 1910 issue of ''Del Monte Weekly.'' Cohen became friends with fellow photographer [[Louis S. Slevin]], and on February 8, 1906, they photographed [[Point Lobos]] from a hill above Monastery Beach. A week later, they went to [[Mission San Antonio de Padua|Mission San Antonio]] to photographed the mission. On March 17, 1910, Cohen captured an image of Slevin under a "triangle of oaks" on Camino Real in Carmel. Cohen photographed several [[Bohemianism|Bohemian]] artists, including [[George Sterling|George and Carrie Sterling]], the [[Alice MacGowan|MacGowan]] sisters, [[Mary Hunter Austin|Mary Austin]]'s "wick-i-up," and [[Frederick R. Bechdolt|Fred Bechdolt]]. Many of his photos were made into postcards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/ccarm_004457/mode/2up?q=|title=Contagion of early Carmel was captured on glass |author=Ronna Zinn Elliott|work=Carmel Pine Cone|date=March 19, 1981 |place=Carmel-by-the-Sea, California|pages=1, 4|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref>


Cohen exhibited his work at the [[California Academy of Sciences]] in San Francisco in November 1905 and with Paul Elder & Co. in San Francisco in 1907.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/alameda-daily-argus-academy-of-sciences/148750707/ |title=The Illustrations For the Lecture Nine Views Are Secured For The Purpose From E. A. Cohen|page=4|work=Alameda Daily Argus|place=Alameda, California|date=November 23, 1905|access-date=2024-06-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-press-paul-elder-co/148750617/ |title=Artistic Work With The Camera|page=8|work=The Morning Press|place=Santa Barbara, California|date=March 27, 1907|access-date=2024-06-05}}</ref>
Cohen exhibited his work at the [[California Academy of Sciences]] in San Francisco in November 1905 and with Paul Elder & Co. in San Francisco in 1907.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/alameda-daily-argus-academy-of-sciences/148750707/|title=The Illustrations For the Lecture Nine Views Are Secured For The Purpose From E. A. Cohen|page=4|work=Alameda Daily Argus|place=Alameda, California|date=November 23, 1905|access-date=2024-06-05|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619202830/https://www.newspapers.com/article/alameda-daily-argus-academy-of-sciences/148750707/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-press-paul-elder-co/148750617/|title=Artistic Work With The Camera|page=8|work=The Morning Press|place=Santa Barbara, California|date=March 27, 1907|access-date=2024-06-05|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619203214/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-press-paul-elder-co/148750617/|url-status=live}}</ref> Cohen authored a 1909 article ''About Carmel'' for ''The American Annual of Photography''. The article showcases images of the Carmel Dunes, Horseshoe Cove, Sunset from Point Lobos, Arch Rock from Pebble Beach, and the wind blown oaks.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v-wbAQAAIAAJ|title=American Photography Book Department|chapter=About Carmel|publisher=Tennant and Ward|place=University of California|date=1909|pages=172–180|access-date=2024-06-03|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619203214/https://books.google.com/books?id=v-wbAQAAIAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> He wrote two articles for ''The American Annual of Photography.'' In ''The New Scenic Route to Yosemite'' (1908), Cohen discusses and illustrates various attractions, including [[Yosemite Valley Railroad]], [[El Portal, California|El Portal]], and [[Bridalveil Fall]].<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/americanannualof22newy/page/242/mode/2up?q= |title=The American annual of photography|chapter=The New Scenic Route to Yosemite|publisher=Tennant and Ward|place=New York|date=1908|pages=242–251|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> In ''Coloring Photographs'' (1912), Cohen discusses his experience in selling photographs, noting that the demand for color photographs has surged in the past couple of years and that they fetch three and a half times more than black-and-white ones. He also shares his techniques for hand-coloring photographs.<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/americanannualof1912newy/page/n205/mode/2up?q=|title=The American Annual of Photography|chapter=Coloring Photographs|publisher=Tennant and Ward|place=New York|date=1912|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> He was the official photographer for the Yosemite Valley Railroad.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/merced-county-sun-official-photographer/148750097/|title=Brief Items Of Local Interest|work=Merced County Sun|place=Merced, California|date=September 20, 1907|access-date=2024-06-05|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619203245/https://www.newspapers.com/article/merced-county-sun-official-photographer/148750097/|url-status=live}}</ref>


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Cohen contributed to ''Popular Photography'' with the 1914 article ''Some Difficulties and Remedies,'' which discusses techniques for achieving black-and-white results.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oefNAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Edgar%20A.%20Cohen%22|title=Popular Photography|chapter=Some Difficulties and Remedies|volume=2|publisher=American Photographic Publishing Company|date=1914|access-date=2024-06-03|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619203216/https://books.google.com/books?id=oefNAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Edgar%20A.%20Cohen%22#v=snippet&q=%22Edgar%20A.%20Cohen%22&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> His photography was featured in the ''[[National Geographic|National Geographic Magazine]]'' in 1925.<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/nationalgeographic19250801/page/176/mode/2up?q= |title=National Geographic August 1925|chapter=Trilers of the Sky|publisher=[[National Geographic]]|place=New York|date=August 1, 1925|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref>
Cohen authored several articles featuring his photographs. In his 1909 article ''About Carmel'' for ''The American Annual of Photography,'' he mentions having been a photographer for six years and reveals that his favorite place for taking pictures was Carmel-by-the-Sea. The article showcases images of the Carmel Dunes, Horseshoe Cove, Sunset from Point Lobos, Arch Rock from Pebble Beach, and the wind blown oaks.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/American_Annual_of_Photography_and_Photo/v-wbAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 |title=American Photography Book Department|chapter=About Carmel|publisher=Tennant and Ward|place=University of California|date=1909|page=172-180|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref>

He wrote two articles for ''The American Annual of Photography.'' In ''The New Scenic Route to Yosemite'' (1908), Cohen discusses and illustrates various attractions, including [[Yosemite Valley Railroad]], [[El Portal, California|El Portal]], and [[Bridalveil Fall]], among others.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/americanannualof22newy/page/242/mode/2up?q= |title=The American annual of photography|chapter=The New Scenic Route to Yosemite|publisher=Tennant and Ward|place=New York|date=1908|pages=242-251|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> In ''Coloring Photographs'' (1912), Cohen discusses his twelve years of experience in selling photographs, noting that the demand for color photographs has surged only in the past couple of years. He mentions that color photographs fetch three and a half times more than black-and-white ones. He also shares his techniques for hand-coloring photographs.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/americanannualof1912newy/page/n205/mode/2up?q=|title=The American Annual of Photography|chapter=Coloring Photographs|publisher=Tennant and Ward|place=New York|date=1912|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> His work at Yosemite earned him the distinction of being the official photographer for the Yosemite Valley Railroad.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/merced-county-sun-official-photographer/148750097/|title=Brief Items Of Local Interest|work=Merced County Sun |place=Merced, California|date=September 20, 1907|access-date=2024-06-05}}</ref>

⚫
Cohen contributed to ''Popular Photography'' with the 1914 article ''Some Difficulties and Remedies,'' which discusses techniques for achieving black-and-white results.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Popular_Photography/oefNAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22Edgar%20A.%20Cohen%22 |title=Popular Photography|chapter=Some Difficulties and Remedies|volume=2|publisher=American Photographic Publishing Company|date=1914|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref> His photography was featured in the ''[[National Geographic|National Geographic Magazine]]'' in 1925.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/nationalgeographic19250801/page/176/mode/2up?q= |title=National Geographic August 1925|chapter=Trilers Of The Sky|publisher=[[National Geographic]]|place=New York|date=August 1, 1925|access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref>


===San Francisco earthquake===
===San Francisco earthquake===
[[File:Grace Cathedral, 1906.jpg|thumb|[[Grace Cathedral, San Francisco|Grace Cathedral]] after the San Francisco earthquake, 1906, by Cohen]]
[[File:Grace Cathedral, 1906.jpg|thumb|[[Grace Cathedral, San Francisco|Grace Cathedral]] after the San Francisco earthquake, 1906, by Cohen]]


In 1906, Cohen was in San Francisco, capturing the devastation of the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake]]. He documented the city's ruins in a series of photographs and wrote an accompanying article titled ''With a Camera in San Francisco,'' which was published in ''[[Camera Craft]]'' magazine. In this article, Cohen laments the poor quality of most ruin and fire photographs, attributing it to the high demand for images that pressured both professionals and amateurs to produce prints quickly. He quotes a fellow commercial photographer, noting that “anything showing ruins, "went."<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Camera_Craft/HcI5AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq= |title=Camera Craft|volume=12|issue=5|journal=Camera Craft|place=University of California |date=June 1906|page=183|access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref> ''The San Francisco Call'' reviewed the article as a "beautifully illustrated" piece, praising its frontispiece—a color depiction showcasing the doorway of the Sloss home.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-call-and-post-with-a-c/148716821/|title=Notes Gleaned from Literary World|work=The San Francisco Call and Post |place=San Francisco, California|date=July 22, 1906|access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref>
In 1906, Cohen was in San Francisco after the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake]] and documented the city's ruins in a series of photographs. He wrote an accompanying article titled ''With a Camera in San Francisco,'' which was published in ''[[Camera Craft]]'' magazine. Cohen laments the poor quality of most ruin and fire photographs, attributing it to the high demand for images that pressured both professionals and amateurs to produce prints quickly. He quotes a fellow commercial photographer, noting that "anything showing ruins, "went."<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HcI5AQAAMAAJ|title=Camera Craft|volume=12|issue=5|journal=Camera Craft|place=University of California|date=June 1906|page=183|access-date=2024-06-04|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619203315/https://books.google.com/books?id=HcI5AQAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> ''The San Francisco Call'' reviewed the article as a "beautifully illustrated" piece, praising its frontispiece—a color depiction showcasing the doorway of the Sloss home.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-call-and-post-with-a-c/148716821/|title=Notes Gleaned from Literary World|work=The San Francisco Call and Post|place=San Francisco, California|date=July 22, 1906|access-date=2024-06-04|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619203318/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-call-and-post-with-a-c/148716821/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Leikam|first=Susanne|url=https://escholarship.org/content/qt0s11w0xw/qt0s11w0xw.pdf|title=Framing Spaces in Motion|chapter=The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire|publisher=Journal of Transnational American Studies|date=2016|place=UC Santa Barbara|pages=215, 218, 220, 252, 254, 255, 290, 317, 319|access-date=2024-06-04|archive-date=June 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619203216/https://escholarship.org/content/qt0s11w0xw/qt0s11w0xw.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the book ''Framing Spaces in Motion,'' Susanne Leikam discusses Cohen and his article ''With a Camera in San Francisco,'' emphasizing the public's fascination with visual representations of disaster following the San Francisco earthquake.<ref>{{cite book|last=Leikam|first=Susanne|url=https://escholarship.org/content/qt0s11w0xw/qt0s11w0xw.pdf |title=Framing Spaces in Motion|chapter=The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire|publisher=Journal of Transnational American Studies|date=2016|place=UC Santa Barbara|pages=215, 218, 220, 252, 254, 255, 290, 317, 319|access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref>


==Death and legacy==
==Death and legacy==
Cohen died on April 7, 1939 in Alameda, California.<ref name="Obituary">{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-obituary-for-edgar-a-co/148690709/|title=Final Rites Held For Edgar Cohen|work=Oakland Tribune |place=Oakland, California|date=April 10, 1939|access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref> His legacy endures through a collection of over 2,140 images, comprising {{convert|4|in|mm}} x {{convert|5|in|mm}} and {{convert|5|in|mm}} x {{convert|7|in|mm}} glass negatives, as well as original prints, held at the Monterey County Historical Society in [[Salinas, California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caviews.com/20th.htm |title=California Views: The Pat Hathaway Photo Collection|work=Monterey County Historical Society|place=Salinas, California|access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref>
Cohen died on April 7, 1939 in Alameda, California.<ref name="Obituary">{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-obituary-for-edgar-a-co/148690709/|title=Final Rites Held For Edgar Cohen|work=Oakland Tribune |place=Oakland, California|date=April 10, 1939|access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref> Over 2,140 of his images are held at the Monterey County Historical Society in [[Salinas, California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caviews.com/20th.htm |title=California Views: The Pat Hathaway Photo Collection|work=Monterey County Historical Society|place=Salinas, California|access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Photography]]
* [[Monochrome photography]]


==References==
==References==
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{{commons category|Edgar A. Cohen}}
{{commons category|Edgar A. Cohen}}
* [https://www.askart.com/artist/Edgar_Albert_Cohen/11182020/Edgar_Albert_Cohen.aspx Artist Biography & Facts Edgar Albert Cohen]
* [https://www.askart.com/artist/Edgar_Albert_Cohen/11182020/Edgar_Albert_Cohen.aspx Artist Biography & Facts Edgar Albert Cohen]
* [https://pic.nypl.org/constituents/27049 Edgar Andrew Cohen American, 1859-1939]
* [https://pic.nypl.org/constituents/27049 Edgar Andrew Cohen American, 1859–1939]


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Edgar A. }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Edgar A.}}
[[:Category:1859 births]]
[[Category:1859 births]]
[[:Category:1939 deaths]]
[[Category:1939 deaths]]
[[:Category:Painters from California]]
[[Category:Painters from California]]
[[:Category:Artists from Carmel-by-the-Sea, California]]
[[Category:Artists from Carmel-by-the-Sea, California]]
[[:Category:20th-century American artists]]
[[Category:20th-century American artists]]
[[:Category:20th-century American painters]]
[[Category:20th-century American painters]]
[[:Category:People from Chicago, Illinois]]
[[Category:People from Chicago]]

Latest revision as of 08:07, 14 July 2024

Edgar A. Cohen
Born
Edgar Andrew Cohen

September 23, 1859
Alameda, California, U.S.
Died7 April 1939(1939-04-07) (aged 79)
Alameda, California, U.S.
Resting placeMountain View Cemetery (Oakland, California)
OccupationPhotographer
Years active1898–1925
Known forLandscape photography
Spouses
Jessie G. Booth
​
​
(m. 1886; div. 1902)​
Emily June
​
(m. 1903)​

Edgar A. Cohen (September 23, 1859 – April 7, 1939) was an American photographer known for his early landscape photography, which captured landmarks such as Yosemite Falls, Mount Tamalpais, and the California Missions. He documented the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Cohen's work is distinguished by his technique of hand-colouring of photographs.

Early life and education

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Cohen was born on February 4, 1885, in Alameda, California, to Alfred A. Cohen, a lawyer. He married Jessie Gray Booth on October 21, 1886, in San Francisco.[1] The couple had two children together.[2] They divorced in 1902, during which time Cohen was a commission merchant of San Francisco.[3] He later remarried Emily June.[4]

Career

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Yosemite Valley Railroad At The Mine (1907) by Cohen

Cohen began his photography career in 1898, with some of his earliest works featuring his family estate in Fernside, Alameda, California.[5] He traveled throughout the state, capturing images of Mount Tamalpais, Yosemite, and many of the California Missions. He photographed Mission San Juan Capistrano, Mission Santa Barbara, and Yosemite Falls for The New Photo-miniature (1908).[6]

Cohen described Monterey County, "the best place to photograph over any place I know." Cohen used a 5 inches (130 mm) x 7 inches (180 mm) Pony Premo No. 6 folding field camera. His collection includes 5 inches (130 mm) x 7 inches (180 mm) glass negatives and original prints, some of which are hand-colored.[7]

Down the Monterey Coast (1912) by Cohen
George Sterling on rocks in Carmel (1908) by Cohen

In November 1918, Cohen purchased property in Carmel. He worked for the Pacific Improvement Company, and some of his photographs, including the Del Monte Forest, were featured in the August 1910 issue of Del Monte Weekly. Cohen became friends with fellow photographer Louis S. Slevin, and on February 8, 1906, they photographed Point Lobos from a hill above Monastery Beach. A week later, they went to Mission San Antonio to photographed the mission. On March 17, 1910, Cohen captured an image of Slevin under a "triangle of oaks" on Camino Real in Carmel. Cohen photographed several Bohemian artists, including George and Carrie Sterling, the MacGowan sisters, Mary Austin's "wick-i-up," and Fred Bechdolt. Many of his photos were made into postcards.[8]

Cohen exhibited his work at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco in November 1905 and with Paul Elder & Co. in San Francisco in 1907.[9][10] Cohen authored a 1909 article About Carmel for The American Annual of Photography. The article showcases images of the Carmel Dunes, Horseshoe Cove, Sunset from Point Lobos, Arch Rock from Pebble Beach, and the wind blown oaks.[11] He wrote two articles for The American Annual of Photography. In The New Scenic Route to Yosemite (1908), Cohen discusses and illustrates various attractions, including Yosemite Valley Railroad, El Portal, and Bridalveil Fall.[12] In Coloring Photographs (1912), Cohen discusses his experience in selling photographs, noting that the demand for color photographs has surged in the past couple of years and that they fetch three and a half times more than black-and-white ones. He also shares his techniques for hand-coloring photographs.[13] He was the official photographer for the Yosemite Valley Railroad.[14]

Cohen contributed to Popular Photography with the 1914 article Some Difficulties and Remedies, which discusses techniques for achieving black-and-white results.[15] His photography was featured in the National Geographic Magazine in 1925.[16]

San Francisco earthquake

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Grace Cathedral after the San Francisco earthquake, 1906, by Cohen

In 1906, Cohen was in San Francisco after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and documented the city's ruins in a series of photographs. He wrote an accompanying article titled With a Camera in San Francisco, which was published in Camera Craft magazine. Cohen laments the poor quality of most ruin and fire photographs, attributing it to the high demand for images that pressured both professionals and amateurs to produce prints quickly. He quotes a fellow commercial photographer, noting that "anything showing ruins, "went."[17] The San Francisco Call reviewed the article as a "beautifully illustrated" piece, praising its frontispiece—a color depiction showcasing the doorway of the Sloss home.[18][19]

Death and legacy

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Cohen died on April 7, 1939 in Alameda, California.[4] Over 2,140 of his images are held at the Monterey County Historical Society in Salinas, California.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "The City Weddings. Cohen-Booth". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. October 28, 1886. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  2. ^ "Couple Are Well Known In Society Of Encinal City". Oakland Enquirer. Oakland, California. October 23, 1902. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  3. ^ "Alameda Society Couple Divorced". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. October 22, 1902. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Final Rites Held For Edgar Cohen". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. April 10, 1939. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  5. ^ Dennis Evanosky (July 28, 2023). "A.A. Cohen's Fernside Estate". Alameda Post. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  6. ^ "The New Photo-miniature". Tennant and Ward. 8 (85–90). University of Michigan. 1908. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  7. ^ "Monterey County Historical Society". Salinas, California. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  8. ^ Ronna Zinn Elliott (March 19, 1981). "Contagion of early Carmel was captured on glass". Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  9. ^ "The Illustrations For the Lecture Nine Views Are Secured For The Purpose From E. A. Cohen". Alameda Daily Argus. Alameda, California. November 23, 1905. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  10. ^ "Artistic Work With The Camera". The Morning Press. Santa Barbara, California. March 27, 1907. p. 8. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  11. ^ "About Carmel". American Photography Book Department. University of California: Tennant and Ward. 1909. pp. 172–180. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  12. ^ "The New Scenic Route to Yosemite". The American annual of photography. New York: Tennant and Ward. 1908. pp. 242–251. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  13. ^ "Coloring Photographs". The American Annual of Photography. New York: Tennant and Ward. 1912. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  14. ^ "Brief Items Of Local Interest". Merced County Sun. Merced, California. September 20, 1907. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  15. ^ "Some Difficulties and Remedies". Popular Photography. Vol. 2. American Photographic Publishing Company. 1914. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  16. ^ "Trilers of the Sky". National Geographic August 1925. New York: National Geographic. August 1, 1925. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  17. ^ "Camera Craft". Camera Craft. 12 (5). University of California: 183. June 1906. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  18. ^ "Notes Gleaned from Literary World". The San Francisco Call and Post. San Francisco, California. July 22, 1906. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  19. ^ Leikam, Susanne (2016). "The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire". Framing Spaces in Motion (PDF). UC Santa Barbara: Journal of Transnational American Studies. pp. 215, 218, 220, 252, 254, 255, 290, 317, 319. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  20. ^ "California Views: The Pat Hathaway Photo Collection". Monterey County Historical Society. Salinas, California. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
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