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The Historic New Orleans Collection
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Country Roads Magazine Examines the Clarence John Laughlin Archive at HNOC

August 26, 2026

The article explores the surrealist photographer’s archive as viewed as an architectural survey of the Gothic south.

A black and white double exposure image featuring a landscape with trees and a person standing on a path, pointing. The overlay includes a classical building with columns. Moss hangs from the trees, creating an atmospheric effect.
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More on Clarence John Laughlin

Collection highlights

Clarence John Laughlin Archive

Books

Haunter of Ruins: The Photography of Clarence John Laughlin

A black and white image of a dilapidated house with a figure in the attic window. The text reads Haunter of Ruins: The Photography of Clarence John Laughlin. There are broken shutters in the foreground.

Related Stories

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First Draft

The 19th-Century Family Found in an Attic

First Draft

The Intimate Eye of George Dureau

Related Collection Highlights

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A city street is heavily flooded, with water reaching building heights. People gather on a section of dry road in the foreground. The skyline of a city with high-rise buildings is visible in the background, partially obscured by mist.

7:28AM August 30, 2005

One photographer’s look at a city waking up to disaster.

Allison “Tootie” Montana, big chief of the Yellow Pocahontas wearing an elaborate pink and orange feathered costume with detailed beadwork and intricate patterns stands confidently. The outfit includes a large headdress and symbolic designs across the chest and arms.

Michael P. Smith Collection

Smith documented the music, parading, and Black folk traditions of New Orleans for decades.

A person stands outdoors, holding a translucent fabric over their head against a textured wall. The shadow casts an intricate pattern on the wall. A potted plant and some grass are visible in the foreground.

Clarence John Laughlin Archive

Through his dreamlike black-and-white images, the surrealist Louisiana photographer explored, amplified, and commented on the mystique of the South.

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A vintage, sepia-toned portrait in an ornate frame shows a woman seated next to a young child. Both wear 19th-century clothing. The frame features intricate floral designs and sits next to a decorative velvet-like cover.
Photography & Photographers

From Daguerreotype to Digital

A look at over 20 different photographic processes and techniques represented in HNOC’s holdings, from the daguerreotype to the digital prints of today.

A serene, monochrome seascape with large cargo ships in the distance. A lone figure walks through shallow water in the foreground, under a cloudy sky, creating a peaceful yet dramatic scene.
Industry & Natural Resources

Enigmatic Stream: Industrial Landscapes of the Lower Mississippi River

Photographs by Richard Sexton capture the essence of a complicated, often mysterious section of the country’s largest waterway.

Related Books

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A lively black-and-white photo of a parade in New Orleans. People are dancing exuberantly in the street, dressed in formal attire with hats. The scene is vibrant with energy and joy.

In the Spirit: The Photography of Michael P. Smith from the Historic New Orleans Collection

with essays by Jason Berry, Dan Cameron, John H. Lawrence, and Jude Solomon

A black and white image of a dilapidated house with a figure in the attic window. The text reads Haunter of Ruins: The Photography of Clarence John Laughlin. There are broken shutters in the foreground.

Haunter of Ruins: The Photography of Clarence John Laughlin

with essays by Jon Kukla, John H. Lawrence, Andrei Codrescu, Ellen Gilchrist, Shirley Ann Grau, Jonathan Williams, Albert Belisle Davis, and John Wood

Cover of a book titled Perique featuring a black and white photograph of elderly hands, one holding tobacco leaves while the other sprinkles shredded tobacco. The book is by Charles Martin, part of The Historic New Orleans Collection.

Perique: Photographs by Charles Martin

with essays by Mary Ann Sternberg and John H. Lawrence

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