Artist
John Gutmann (American, born Germany, 1905–1998)American, born Germany, 1905–1998
CultureAmerican
Titles
- Looking at the Game
Date1935
MediumGelatin silver print
DimensionsImage: 9 7/8 × 6 1/2 in. (25.1 × 16.5 cm)
Sheet: 9 7/8 × 6 1/2 in. (25.1 × 16.5 cm)
Mount: 14 × 14 in. (35.6 × 35.5 cm)
Sheet: 9 7/8 × 6 1/2 in. (25.1 × 16.5 cm)
Mount: 14 × 14 in. (35.6 × 35.5 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment, The Manfred Heiting Collection
Object number2002.1244
Not on view
Explore Further
Department
PhotographySpecial Collections
Object Type
John Gutmann took up photography shortly before he fled
Nazi Germany. Once settled in America, he photographed his new home from every
possible angle. Gutmann’s dynamic, often humorous pictures animate the people,
places, and things seen in everyday life, from advertisements to children playing
in the street, to a man watching a sports match. Shot from a bird’s-eye view, Gutmannn’s
closely cropped Looking at a Game
gives no clues as to what kind of game is being watched, and instead
finds all the action in the crossed arms and legs of the man seated in front of
him.
ProvenanceThe artist; [Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco]; purchased by Manfred Heiting, July 11, 1985; purchased by MFAH, 2002.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Signed in pencil, recto, lower right below image on mount: John Gutman
Inscribed in pencil and erased, recto, lower left below image on mount: Looking at the Game
Inscribed in black ink, verso, top left: Looking at the game . // Rolleiflex
Printed in black on applied label with additions, verso, upper left: MILLS COLLEGE ART GALLERY // MILLS COLLEGE, CALIFORNIA // NUMBER 181 // EXHIBITOR // JOHN GUTMAN
Inscribed in black ink, verso, top right: John Gutman // 1074 Union Street // San Francisco Calif.
Printed in purple on applied label with stamp addition, verso, upper right: EXHIBITED AT // THE // California Camera Club // SAN FRANCISCO // AUG 36
Inscribed in pencil, verso, bottom right upside down: 146,10
Inscribed in pencil and erased, recto, lower left below image on mount: Looking at the Game
Inscribed in black ink, verso, top left: Looking at the game . // Rolleiflex
Printed in black on applied label with additions, verso, upper left: MILLS COLLEGE ART GALLERY // MILLS COLLEGE, CALIFORNIA // NUMBER 181 // EXHIBITOR // JOHN GUTMAN
Inscribed in black ink, verso, top right: John Gutman // 1074 Union Street // San Francisco Calif.
Printed in purple on applied label with stamp addition, verso, upper right: EXHIBITED AT // THE // California Camera Club // SAN FRANCISCO // AUG 36
Inscribed in pencil, verso, bottom right upside down: 146,10
Signed in pencil, recto, lower right below image: John Gutman
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.
John Gutmann
1937, printed c. 1980
Gelatin silver print
2000.177
John Gutmann
1939, printed c. 1974
Gelatin silver print
2000.172
