Sacramento County
Biographies
ANWYL O. GREGORY
ANWYL O. GREGORY.—Photography! Sun
printing! How little we of to-day realize the importance of the art, and
that its discovery lies within the present century, that indeed its development
to the stage of a practical utility lies within the space of half that
time! To England
belongs the honor of first producing a photograph, by one
Wedgwood, in 1802. This was followed in 1814 by the experiments of Nicephore de Niepce, who died in
1833. His son, Isadore de Niepce,
together with Daguerre, made further improvements in the process. These
pictures were taken upon silver-plated copper, and were called Daguerreotypes;
and from that day to the present there has been a steady advancement in this
art of "sun printing." To-day, in the best galleries, we find
artists of merit who are making the study and improvements of this art their
lifework, and accomplishing results which would have been deemed impossible
only a few years ago. Sacramento
has been fortunate in securing for herself such a one in the person of Anwyl O. Gregory, whose studio is on J
street, and who although
a young man, has had a practical experience of over twenty-eight years in his
chosen profession. A short sketch of his life cannot but be interesting to
his many friends, in connection with the historical volume of the county and
city of his adoption. Mr. Gregory, born in the city of new York, is the only son of Joseph W. Gregory,
a pioneer who came to the coast to establish the western branch of the great
Atlantic & Pacific Express Company, the rival of Adams. This company,
from its office on Montgomery street,
San Francisco, did an immense
business in pioneer times. The senior Gregory returned East,
and died in New York city in
1870. Anwyl was educated in the public schools
of that city, and, early evincing a strong liking for all forms of picture
work, he determined to become a photographer, a branch of art then just coming
into vogue. He first entered the Kimball Gallery,
corner of Broadway and Broom street,
and later on was with Gurney, who for years was the leading photographer in the
Empire City, and
indeed in the whole United States. His
gallery on Fifth avenue
will be remembered as one of the sights of the metropolis, the rendezvous of
theatrical and society people of the great city. Gurney enjoyed an immense
prosperity, and deservedly too, for he kept well abreast with the rapidly
developing science of photography, and made practical application of all the
newest methods, supplemented by his own vast and valuable experience. Such
was the training-school which fitted the subject of this sketch for his
lifework; and when in 1879 he concluded to emigrate to the "land of golden
promise,"—of which he had so often heard his father speak in terms of
highest praise,—it was with a knowledge of his profession which materially
assisted him in securing a responsible position within the Golden Gate, in the
city of San Francisco. In was about this time that Mr. Leftwich,
a skilled photographer and an artist of merit, foreseeing the advantages of a
really first-class gallery in the Capital
City, had bought and fitted up his
elegant studio on J street,
which was intended to excel anything on the coast. He died, however, and
Mr. Gregory was fortunate in securing the place, which he at once did; and,
bringing his family to Sacramento,
began a work which year by year has grown, and, under his fostering care has
opened up new possibilities in the way of art photography. He first
introduced the 20x24 camera for taking lifesize
portraits. He introduced Grecian statuary and Rembrandt styles, and
adopted the plan of having on hand costumes and draperies of suitable color and
texture, to produce the most artistic effect; and in the matter of artistic
"posing" alone he has secured an immense success. Indeed, in
this and other particulars he has revolutionized the old methods and produced
results most gratifying to himself and to his patrons. He has taken silver
medals three years in succession. That which was
taken at the State Exposition in 1889, was a special medal for quality
pictures. His display and art rooms at the state Exposition building on
the Capital grounds in 1887-'88-‘89, were the most elaborate ever seen on the
coast; and he was awarded the silver medal for highest merit; and not only
this, but he has also established an enviable reputation as a conscientious,
painstaking artist.
Transcribed 10-3-07 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated
History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 771-772.
Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007 Marilyn R. Pankey.