California
1997
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 37.9 x 37.8 cm (14 15/16 x 14 7/8 in.) sheet: 50.6 x 40.6 cm (19 15/16 x 16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Patrons' Permanent Fund
Accession Number
2001.22.263
Art Historical Context
Lee Friedlander's *California* (1997) is a striking gelatin silver print that exemplifies the artist's masterful command of black-and-white street photography. Friedlander, a pivotal figure in American photography since the 1960s, is renowned for his fragmented, multifaceted compositions that weave together urban environments, reflections, shadows, and signage into dynamic visual puzzles. This 37.9 x 37.8 cm image, printed on a larger 50.6 x 40.6 cm sheet, captures the essence of everyday American life with his signature wit and complexity, inviting viewers to decipher layered realities. The ...
About the Artist
Lee Friedlander
Lee Friedlander, born on July 14, 1934, in Aberdeen, Washington, to a Finnish-descended mother, Kaari Nurmi, and German-Jewish émigré father, Fritz Friedlander, discovered photography at age 14 amid a fascination with the medium's equipment. Tragedy marked his childhood when his mother died of cancer at age seven, yet he pursued his passion, earning pocket money with a camera before studying under...