Sonora
1992
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 37.6 x 37.2 cm (14 13/16 x 14 5/8 in.) sheet: 50.3 x 40.6 cm (19 13/16 x 16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Patrons' Permanent Fund
Accession Number
2001.22.409
Art Historical Context
**Sonora**, a captivating gelatin silver print by Lee Friedlander from 1992, exemplifies the artist's mastery of street photography. Friedlander, a pivotal figure in American photography since the 1960s, is renowned for his "social landscape" approach—capturing the chaotic beauty of urban and natural environments through dense, compositions. Often incorporating reflections, shadows, and, his work transforms everyday scenes into visual puzzles that challenge viewers to decode the interplay of forms. This square-format image, measuring nearly 15 inches on each side, invites close contemplation o...
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...