Joe Turner
1983
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
dye imbibition print
Dimensions
image: 36.2 × 23.6 cm (14 1/4 × 9 5/16 in.) sheet: 41.8 × 32 cm (16 7/16 × 12 5/8 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Susan and Peter MacGill
Accession Number
2013.158.2.5
Art Historical Context
**Joe Turner**, a captivating 1983 dye imbibition print by Lee Friedlander, offers visitors a glimpse into the photographer's masterful command of portraiture and urban nuance. Friedlander, a pivotal figure in American street photography since the 1960s, is celebrated for his intricate compositions that weave together people, architecture, and reflections, often revealing the layered textures of everyday life. Captured in this intimate scale—image measuring 36.2 × 23.6 cm—this work exemplifies his ability to distill personality amid complexity. The dye imbibition process, a sophisticated colo...
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...