Artwork Page for New York

Details / Information for New York

New York

1938

Helen Levitt

(American, 1913–2009)
Culture
America
Medium
gelatin silver print
Measurements
Image: 14.5 x 21.1 cm (5 11/16 x 8 5/16 in.); Matted: 35.6 x 45.7 cm (14 x 18 in.)
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund 1993.214
Copyright
© Film Documents LLC, courtesy Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne
This artwork is known to be under copyright.
Location
Not on view
Print

Description

A frequent theme for Helen Levitt was the power of the imagination in children’s play in New York City’s poorer neighborhoods. The boys with toy guns may be playing war or cops and robbers. Whatever scenario they chose, their game echoed grave events from the adult world. Levitt often used a right-angle viewfinder so her subjects were unaware; they thought she was pointing the camera in another direction. The children in Walter Rosenblum’s image, in contrast, smile directly at the photographer as they express the sheer physical joy and glee of taking flight on swings.

New York

1938

Helen Levitt

(American, 1913–2009)
America

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