PIX Publishing, Inc
First photo after landing, showing moon’s horizon and the ladder of the lunar module.

Public Domain

ExpandFavorite

Artist PIX Publishing, Incactive 1935–1969

CultureUnknown

Titles

First photo after landing, showing moon’s horizon and the ladder of the lunar module.

DateJuly 20, 1969

Place depictedMoon

MediumGelatin silver print

DimensionsImage: 7 7/8 × 9 13/16 in. (20 × 24.9 cm)
Sheet: 7 7/8 × 9 13/16 in. (20 × 24.9 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by Michael Zilkha

Object number2018.577

Not on view

Explore Further

Department

Photography

Object Type

PHOTOGRAPHS

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: 1-First photo after landing, showing moon’s horizon and the ladder // of the lunar module.
Stamped in green, verso, center left: Westport Public Library // Westport, Conn. [sideways]
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: 1

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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