This autochrome was taken by Fred Payne Clatworthy (1875-1953) in an unidentified location in Mexico in 1929-1930. The image depicts an aerial view of a small town next to a ocean, with mountains in the background. In 1929 and 1930, Clatworthy made two trips to the western coast of Mexico. The South Pacific Transportation Company covered Clatworthy's travel and accommodations. Over the course of the two trips, Clatworthy photographed Compostela, Cuernavaca, Mazatlan, Guadalajara, Tonala, San Juan Teotihuacán, Tlaxcala, Tepotzotlan, Tepoztlán, Lake Chahalla, Mexico City, and Zapopan. Thirteen Autochromes from Clatwothy's 1929 trip appeared in the July 1930 edition of National Geographic Magazine.
Fred Payne Clatworthy was a photographer and public lecturer who worked mostly out of Estes Park, Colorado during the first half of the twentieth century. Clatworthy was known for his mastery of the autochrome, an early color photography format. In exchange for image use rights to Clatworthy's autochromes, railways and transportation companies often sent him on all-expenses-paid photo assignments to various locations. In addition, approximately 100 of Clatworthy's autochromes appeared in the pages of National Geographic Magazine between 1923 and 1934. From 1917 to 1934, Clatworthy regularly toured the United States, presenting autochromes to the public in slide lectures. Some of his most notable venues included the Smithsonian Institution, the Field Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, and Carnegie Museum. Between Clatworthy’s lectures and published images, his work was seen by over ten million people in over 160 countries. Clatworthy also served as the official photographer for the Stanley Hotel, Covenant Heights, and the Rocky Mountain Young Men's Christian Association during the early half of the twentieth century. In addition to his photography work, Clatworthy also had several business interests in the Estes Park area including "Ye Littel Shop,," a curio store that sold furniture, produce, Kodak cameras, film, and Clatworthy’s own images of the area. This image is part of the Fred Payne Clatworthy collection (Ph.00560). This image is a digital surrogate; the appearance of the original object may vary.
This autochrome exhibits severe deterioration around the edges of the image. Access is restricted due to preservation concerns. Permission to access must be granted in advance by the Curator of Photography and is dependent upon the condition of the item. Please contact cosearch@state.co.us for more information.