Andrew J. Russell (1829–1902) grew up in the northeast pursuing the life of an artist. As he progressed artistically, he received numerous commissions from political and railroad figures to paint portraits, along with landscapes. He slowly moved into photography by using photos as references for his paintings instead of creating sketches. His move toward photography would not only alter his career, but would alter our view of American history.
Portrait of photographer Andrew J. Russell, 1902, by an unknown photographer, National Park Service. (Public Domain)
Although he spent most of his life in the northeast―New York, specifically―he is remembered most for his time in the West during its expansion. His name, or more accurately, his images, would forever be linked with the Transcontinental Railroad. Before construction began, however, Russell found himself commissioned for a destructive cause: the Civil War….