The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of March 25, 2025
Three Shadows
printed 2022
(American, b. 1936)
Image: 15.8 x 24 cm (6 1/4 x 9 7/16 in.); Paper: 21.3 x 28 cm (8 3/8 x 11 in.)
Transfer from Ingalls Library 2022.82
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
The photographer’s viewpoint—where the camera is placed—can entirely change the meaning of an image.Description
Three Shadows, a view from above of three young girls walking in the Bronx, would have been an entirely different image if taken from ground level. From Adger Cowans’ elevated viewpoint, the girls’ shadows, stretch far in front of them, suggesting that whatever their actual height, they have the potential to be towering figures. One of Adger Cowans iconic images, Three Shadows presents a striking example of his ability to communicate through light and shadow, which are hallmarks of black-and-white photography.- {{cite web|title=Three Shadows|url=false|author=Adger Cowans|year=printed 2022|access-date=25 March 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2022.82