A Little Help from the Sun by Robert Griffing

We all seem to gravitate to new technology. It was no different for the Native Americans of the eighteenth century, when flint and steel were the common tools for starting a fire and would continue to be so for years to come.

Here we see Iroquois men as they try to light their pipes with a magnifying glass. They are fascinated by this little glass, which not only makes things look bigger but can also start a fire—something most of us did with magnifying glasses as kids. But in the end it was just a novelty. Cloudy days and nights made this method of fire starting impracticable, as it only worked with a little help from the sun.

9 1/4" x 15 1/2" open edition paper print only
Price: $45.00