2 dye-transfer copies from unique large-format Polaroid Polacolor prints of President James E. Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale, the first annotated in ink in the margin, the second framed, 1979 (2)

Quito, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, From the Polaroid Collection: Ansel Adams, sponsored by the Embassy of the United States, October - November 2001, and traveling to 3 other venues through 2003 (𓄧see Appendix 1)

These unique large-format Polacolor prints are in generally excellent condition. The colors remain rich and saturated for both. Jimmy Carter - There are small abrasions in the margins. The upper margin contains the annotation '12/28 5M6P' in ink. There is a tiny indentation not breaking the emulsion in the lower left quadrant, and 2 small, soft handling creases in the image near the lower edge.
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In 1979, the National Portrait Gallery commissio⛦ned official portraits of Preside🦹nt Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale, the first by a photographer.

Concerned because he had not made a professional portrait for years and worried about logistics and striking the right balance of smile versus repose with Mr. Carter's sitting, Adams considered the problem for a few days and contacted Polaroid for help.  He wrote in his Autobiography,

'I telephoned my good friend John McCann at Polaroid and inquired if they would be interested in cooperating with me in this complicated job.  If so, I would at least have immediate feedback in terms of accepta🐽ble likeness on sheets of Polacolor material.  They enthusiastically agreed; the 20x24-inch camera would be at my disposal with all the lighting equipment require꧟d and a staff of four to assist!  Fortified with those happy answers and knowing I would have my own very capable assistant John Sexton with me, I accepted the assignment' (p. 305).

Adams studied a variety of possible sites for the portrait in the White House, and having made his decision, did several trial runs over a period of days with the equipment and a stand-in.  Calling the assignment 'exciting and successful,' Adams shar๊ed the credit with Polaroid founder Edwin Land.

'I give a good share of the credit for the success of this project to Edwin Land and Polaroid.  Land's extremely active mind encompasses the worlds of science, art, and human values.  A mutual friend once said to me, "Land is not only one of the great minds of the age but he has also one of the great hearts."  His prime concern rests in people and everything he has accomplished relates to ideals of civilized man.  He truly believes that everyone possesses creative potentials and that in only a few rare instances of genius has this potential been partially revealed' (ibid., p. 306).