The haunting beauty of the Mississippi Delta is vividly captured through the photography of Maude Schuyler Clay, showcasing its nearly abandoned buildings and landscapes. The presence of roaming dogs adds life to the desolate scenes, creating a poignant connection between nature and the remnants of human habitation. Clay's work invites viewers to explore the Delta's unique charm and the stories embedded within its environment.
Maude Schuyler-Clay started her color portrait series “Mississippi History” in 1975 when she came upon her first Rolleiflex 2¼ camera. At the time, she was living and working in New York and paid frequent visits to her native Mississippi Delta whose landscape and people continued to inspire her. Over the next twenty-five years, the project, which began as “The Mississippians,” evolved into an homage to Julia Margaret Cameron. A definitive pioneer of the art of photography, Cameron lived in Victorian England and began her photographic experiments in 1863, after receiving the gift of a camera. The expressive, allegorical portraits of her friends and family as well as her artful approach to capturing the essence of light are the driving forces behind Schuyler-Clay’s nostalgic recollection of carefree moments of family life and play in Mississippi in the 1980s and ’90s.
The book explores the vanishing landscapes of the Mississippi Delta through a poignant photo project and accompanying prose. It captures the essence of indigenous structures such as mule barns, field churches, cotton gins, tenant houses, and railroad stations, highlighting their historical significance and the urgency of their preservation. With 75 illustrations, it serves as both a visual journey and a reflective commentary on the cultural heritage of the region.