PIX Publishing, Inc
Neil Armstrong descends the ladder of the lunar module, about to become the first man to set foot on the moon.

Neil Armstrong descends the ladder of the lunar module, about to become the first man to set foot on the moon.
Neil Armstrong descends the ladder of the lunar module, about to become the first man to set foot on the moon.
Neil Armstrong descends the ladder of the lunar module, about to become the first man to set foot on the moon.
CultureUnknown
Titles
  • Neil Armstrong descends the ladder of the lunar module, about to become the first man to set foot on the moon.
DateJuly 20, 1969
Place depictedMoon
MediumGelatin silver print
DimensionsImage: 7 13/16 × 9 13/16 in. (19.9 × 24.9 cm)
Sheet: 7 13/16 × 9 13/16 in. (19.9 × 24.9 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by Michael Zilkha
Object number2018.578
Non exposé

Explore Further

Department
Photography
Object Type
Description

Although the photographer of these images is unknown, the subject is
immediately recognizable. Apollo 11’s landing on the moon and Neil A.
Armstrong’s first steps were experienced by people glued to their televisions
all over the world. NASA included a retractable antenna and a Westinghouse
slow-scan Lunar Camera with the lunar module to transmit the historic event via
a series of communication satellites and landlines to Mission Control in
Houston, from which it was broadcast to the world. The transmission process
left the image quality significantly degraded, but it was nevertheless
spectacular to viewers. Many photographed their television screen in order to preserve
the moment.




ProvenancePIX, Inc., New York; Westport Public Library, Westport, Connecticut; [Winter Works on Paper, New York]; purchased by MFAH, 2018.
Exhibition History"Shooting the Moon: Photographs from the Museum's Collection 50 Years after Apollo 11," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, July 20–September 2, 2019.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Printed in black on applied label, verso, top center right: APOLLO 11, FIRST MANNED LANDING ON THE MOON: 1056 EDT, JULY 20, 1969. // WASH/I0731---Photos via TV.
Printed in black on applied label, verso, upper center right: 2- Neil Armstrong descends the ladder of the lunar module, about to // become the first man to set foot on the moon.
Stamped in green, verso, center left: Westport Public Library // Westport, Conn. [upside down]
Inscribed in pencil, verso, center: 15 [sideways]
Inscribed in pencil, verso, center right: Space flight [underlined]
Stamped in black ink, verso, bottom center: WASH // PHOTO BY // PIX INCORPORATED // 236 EAST 46th ST., N. Y. 17, N. Y. // Yukon 6-7540 // Please Credit: WASHINGTON REPORTERS – PIX // A LICENSE [ILLEGIBLE…] //TO WHICH THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS SENT // TO REPRODUCE FOR ONE TIME ONLY THE PIC- //TURE APPEARING ON THIS PRINT, IT MUST NOT // BE LOANED, SYNDICATED OR USED FOR AD- // VERTISING PURPOSES WITHOUT WRITTEN PER- // MISSION.
Inscribed in pencil, verso, bottom right corner: 2

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

First photo after landing, showing moon’s horizon and the ladder of the lunar module.
PIX Publishing, Inc
July 20, 1969
Gelatin silver print
2018.577
Set of Six Butter Plates
Mt. Vernon Company Silversmiths, Inc.
mid 20th century
Sterling silver
92.523.1-.6
Mission: Apollo-Saturn 14, January 31–February 9, 1971: Lunar module, Antares, on lunar surface
Alan B. Shepard, Jr.
January 31–February 9, 1971, printed 1991
Dye imbibition print
93.199.26
[Salesman's Samples]
Merchants Publishing Company
c. 1908
Gelatin silver print on fabric
2022.329.1-.11
Silk Dynasty, Inc.
Designed 1983, manufactured c. 1990
Silk and paper
90.294.1-.3
Developing and Printing
Detroit Publishing Company
1904
Halftone print
2021.694
Mission: Apollo-Saturn 9: Lunar module, "Spider," Orbiting the Earth.
David R. Scott
March 3–13, 1969, printed 1991
Dye imbibition print
93.199.8