Edward Steichen
1931
George Washington Bridge

Gelatin silver print
13 3/4 x 11 ins (34.8 x 27.8 cm)
 
Sotheby's - Paris
9 October 2018, Modernism: Photographs from a Distinguished Private Collection, Lot: 2
 
Literature
 
Steichen, Edward. A Life in Photography . Edward Steichen. Published in Collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art. Édité par Museum of modern art. London: W. H. Allen, 1963
New York, Museum of Modern Art, Murals by American Painters and Photographers, 3 - 31 May 1932
Beaumont Newhall, Photography 1839-1937 (New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1937), 41.
 
Catalogue note
 
First made on assignment for Vanity Fair magazine for its January 1932 issue, Steichen focuses on the subject of an innovative example of modern architecture from the 1930s. When it opened in 1931, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The choice of the angle emphasizes the scale of the bridge while giving it depth. The subject of the bridge was also celebrated by the impressionists as a symbol of modernity.
 
Beaumont Newhall included a print of this image in his early exhibition (Photography 1839-1937) at The Museum of Modern Art, New-York.
 
LL/85210