1931 (printed 1950s)
(American, 1899–1998)
Gelatin silver print, ferrotyped
Image: 20.3 x 27.9 cm (8 x 11 in.)
The A. W. Ellenberger, Sr., Endowment Fund 2019.179
© Estate of Ilse Bing
Ilse Bing was known as the “Queen of the Leica.”
Radical viewpoints—especially the worm’s- or bird’s-eye view—were a hallmark of 1920s and 1930s avant-garde imagery, reflecting a new attitude toward space spurred by recent technological innovations such as the skyscraper and the airplane. Bing was one of the first professionals to adopt the Leica, a lightweight, small 35 mm camera. It did not require a tripod and could easily be held at any angle, thus especially suited to this new way of seeing.
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