Artist
Sid Grossman(American, 1913–1955)American, 1913–1955
CultureAmerican
Titles
- Advance Division of the U. N. I. A. at 42 W. 133 St.
- from the series Harlem
DateMay-June, 1939
Place depictedNew York City, New York, United States
MediumGelatin silver print
DimensionsImage: 10 5/16 × 13 9/16 in. (26.2 × 34.5 cm)
Sheet: 10 5/16 × 13 5/8 in. (26.2 × 34.5 cm)
Sheet: 10 5/16 × 13 5/8 in. (26.2 × 34.5 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by Betty and Frederic Fleming
Object number81.117
Non exposé
Explore Further
Department
PhotographyObject Type
In 1936 Sid Grossman and Sol Libsohn cofounded the Photo League.
Grossman, like the League itself, was dedicated to photographing the everyday
lives of the working class, using his camera as a tool to illuminate the joys
and struggles found in New York City’s streets. The son of Austrian Jewish
immigrants, Grossman championed the medium as a social document. In 1939 he
began photographing
African American life in Harlem, capturing the vitality of its public
spaces. Grossman’s concern for the dignity of all people is evident in the beautifully
varied individuals and buildings captured in this scene.
ProvenanceMiriam Grossman Cohen; purchased by MFAH, 1981.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Inscribed in pencil, verso, top left: New York, Harlem, W.P.A./ / neg. in Mus. of City of // New York // p 3852-61 // A
Stamped in red and black ink, verso, lower right: Sid Grossman –PHOTO LEAGUE //
Inscribed in black ink, verso, lower right: 31 E. 21 St. // N.Y.C.
Inscribed in black ink, verso, bottom right edge: Harlem
Stamped in red and black ink, verso, lower right: Sid Grossman –PHOTO LEAGUE //
Inscribed in black ink, verso, lower right: 31 E. 21 St. // N.Y.C.
Inscribed in black ink, verso, bottom right edge: Harlem
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
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Berenice Abbott
December 29, 1936
Gelatin silver print
76.237