Henry Chapman Ford Etchings

Discover the etchings of early California missions this March! The Henry Chapman Ford Etchings Exhibit will feature 24 original works on display in our West Wing. This exhibit is made possible by the James Irvine Swinden Family Collection.
In the late 1800s, American artist Henry Chapman Ford traveled through California by horse and buggy, visiting each of the missions to create paintings, drawings, and etchings of the historic landmarks. His work is often credited with reviving public interest in California’s Spanish era and preserving an important visual record of the missions before the turn of the century.