Artwork Page for Three Children on Swings, Pitt Street, New York

Details / Information for Three Children on Swings, Pitt Street, New York

Three Children on Swings, Pitt Street, New York

1950
(American, 1919–2006)
Culture
America
Measurements
Image: 14.6 x 17.9 cm (5 3/4 x 7 1/16 in.); Paper: 15 x 18.4 cm (5 7/8 x 7 1/4 in.); Matted: 35.6 x 45.7 cm (14 x 18 in.)
Credit Line
Copyright
© Walter Rosenblum
This artwork is known to be under copyright.
Location
Not on view

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.
Black-and-white photograph of three smiling children with dark skin tones playing on swings. The central child grasps the swing bars, legs swinging and smiling at us. Two children on either side each tug the swing in their direction, creating a diagonal movement from the lower left to upper right of the photograph. Behind them, a metal bar fence overlaid with chain link fences off a dark stained wall.

Three Children on Swings, Pitt Street, New York

1950

Walter Rosenblum

(American, 1919–2006)
America

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

    All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.