The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 19, 2025
Clearing the Land, Ellis Unit, Texas
1967–69, printed 1979
(American, 1942-)
Image: 22.2 x 33 cm (8 3/4 x 13 in.); Paper: 27.7 x 35.4 cm (10 7/8 x 13 15/16 in.)
Gift of Alan and Monah L. Gettner 2017.255
Location: Not on view
Description
In 1967, Lyon received permission to photograph, without restriction, inside the Texas prison system. He spent 14 months visiting six prisons, getting to know the inmates and viewing, although not personally experiencing, almost every aspect of prison life. Ellis Unit, a prison farm, housed those believed to be the most dangerous and difficult criminals.- {{cite web|title=Clearing the Land, Ellis Unit, Texas|url=false|author=Danny Lyon|year=1967–69, printed 1979|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2017.255