Description
The Norfolk Historical Society is pleased to announce the publication of A Remarkable Legacy: The Photography of Marie H. Kendall. Kendall chronicled the town of Norfolk in striking images during the two decades before and after the turn of the 20th century. She came to Norfolk in 1884 at a pivotal time in the town’s development and documented its transformation into a stylish summer resort. Her natural affinity for the lens and love of nature took her outside to photograph scenic landscapes, cascading waterfalls and flowers in bloom. Her photographs of the blizzard of 1888 and the ice storm of 1898 provide a window to life in rural Connecticut before reliable roads, plows, and electricity gave Norfolk its cozy 20th century aspect. Perhaps most interesting are her shots of townsfolk, sometimes posing formally, often seen candidly working, or in playful and imaginative poses reflecting the charming character of Connecticut’s icebox. Her photographs demonstrate a broad range of skill, an adventuresome spirit, and a high level of artistry that won her medals at two international expositions.
The book will be hardbound, approximately 200 pages, with a foreword by Naomi Rosenblum and essays by Ann Havemeyer, Robert Dance, and Barry Webber. It will draw from the Society’s collection, which includes hundreds of original Kendall photographs and glass negatives as well as albums she put together highlighting what she thought was her best work.
