William H. Rau

William H. Rau (1855, 1920) was an American photographer celebrated for his large-format documentary and landscape photography, particularly his commissioned work for the Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley railroads capturing American scenery, industry, and everyday life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His technically accomplished photographs served both commercial and artistic purposes, documenting the rapid transformation of the American landscape during the Gilded Age. Rau's work is recognized for its exceptional clarity, compositional elegance, and historical significance as a record of Victorian-era America.