Wilson Alwyn Bentley Paintings

Wilson Alwyn Bentley, also known as 'Snowflake' Bentley, was an American farmer, scientist, and photographer who is best remembered for his pioneering work in the area of photomicrography, particularly his extensive and detailed photographs of snowflakes. Born on February 9, 1865, in Jericho, Vermont, Bentley grew up on a farm and developed an interest in the natural world around him from a young age. His fascination with snowflakes began as a teenager when he started observing them through a microscope his mother had given him. Determined to capture their intricate designs, Bentley attached a camera to his microscope and, after much experimentation, succeeded in taking the first photograph of a single snow crystal in 1885. This marked the beginning of a lifelong passion and career.

Over the course of his life, Bentley captured more than 5,000 images of snowflakes, never finding two that were exactly alike. His work proved that snowflakes are indeed unique in their structure, a fact that today is taken for granted but at the time was a significant discovery. Bentley's method involved catching the snowflakes on a blackboard and then transferring them to a microscope slide, all while working in extremely cold conditions to prevent the snowflakes from melting. His dedication and patience in capturing these fleeting natural wonders were extraordinary.

Bentley's photographs and findings were first published in the annual reports of the Vermont State Board of Agriculture, but his work gained wider recognition when he started collaborating with George Henry Perkins, a professor at the University of Vermont. In 1931, Bentley co-authored a book titled 'Snow Crystals' with William J. Humphreys, a physicist at the United States Weather Bureau, which featured more than 2,400 of his snowflake photographs. Unfortunately, Bentley's life was cut short later that year when he died of pneumonia, contracted after walking six miles through a blizzard. Despite the relatively limited recognition he received during his lifetime, Bentley's legacy has grown over time. His detailed photographs and dedication to his work have made significant contributions to the fields of meteorology, photography, and art. Today, Bentley is celebrated not only as the first person to photograph a single snowflake but also as a pioneer in the field of photomicrography and an individual who combined scientific inquiry with artistic beauty.