Ben Shahn
New York City

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Images(3)

Artist Ben Shahn American, born Lithuania, 1898–1969

CultureAmerican

Titles

New York City

Datec. 1932

PlaceNew York, New York, United States

MediumGelatin silver print

DimensionsImage: 6 3/16 x 9 3/8 in. (15.7 x 23.9 cm)
Sheet: 6 3/16 × 9 7/16 in. (15.7 × 23.9 cm)
Mount: 6 5/8 x 9 3/4 in. (16.8 x 24.8 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the Mundy Companies

Object number79.18

Not on view

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Department

Photography

Object Type

PHOTOGRAPHS

DescriptionBen
Shahn’s socially conscious work in both photography and painting encouraged
reaction and reflection. As four handball players crouch near the court’s wall,
two others in the foreground wait for their turn. Shahn puts the viewer in the
role of another player, anticipating entry into the game. Capturing both the
cooperation and competition of the game, the artwork expresses Shahn’s idea of
New York City’s social connections by means of one of its most popular working-class
pastimes.
Provenance[James Maroney, Inc., Leicester, Vermont]; purchased by MFAH, 1979.
Exhibition HistoryExhibited "Evocative Presence: Twentieth Century Photographs in the Museum Collection", The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston February 27 - May 1, 1988
Exhibited "The Glass Canvas", December 10, 1996 through February 23, 1997, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

"American Made: 250 Years of American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 7 July 2012 - 2 January 2013.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

verso of mount top left corner in pencil " 47[circled] "
right center in ink reading vertically " 58[circled] "

verso of mount top edge left and right small squares of white tape

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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