UC Riverside

This thesis looks at the history of the catalog raisonné and argues for its relevance and importance in the modern art world, culminating in a catalog of the photomontage works of photographer Barbara Morgan. Between the years of 1935 and 1980, during which photography was her primary artistic focus, Morgan was an experimental artist on the East Coast whose work expanded the field of photomontage. Morgan's relationships and personal experiences nurtured and influenced her craft and helped establish her position as a prominent photographer, particularly in the fields of photomontage and dance photography. Also included in this project is a biography of Morgan's life, enabling the reader to place her works into the context of her life.