The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 23, 2025

Tea and Walnuts

c. 1930

Ilse Bing

(American, 1899–1998)
America
gelatin silver print
Image: 11.8 x 17.3 cm (4 5/8 x 6 13/16 in.); Paper: 11.8 x 17.3 cm (4 5/8 x 6 13/16 in.); Mounted: 24.9 x 31.3 cm (9 13/16 x 12 5/16 in.)
Gift of Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg 2020.290
© Estate of Ilse Bing
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

“I didn’t choose photography; it chose me,” said Ilse Bing.

Description

Bing was just a “snapshooter” until she had to hone her photographic skills to produce illustrations for her doctoral dissertation at the University of Frankfurt on an 18th century architect. Once she saw her first painting by Vincent Van Gogh, in 1929, she instantly decided to abandon art history and become an artist—but not a painter. Photography “was the trend of the time,” she recalled later.
  • Estate of the Artist
    Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg, Scarsdale, NY
    December 7, 2020
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Tea and Walnuts|url=false|author=Ilse Bing|year=c. 1930|access-date=23 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2020.290