Sonora
1991
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 37.6 x 37.3 cm (14 13/16 x 14 11/16 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
2001.22.406
Art Historical Context
**Sonora, 1991** Lee Friedlander (b. 1934) captures the essence of place in *Sonora*, a gelatin print from his mature career This square-format image (37.6 x 37.3 cm) exemplifies Friedlander's signature street photography style, associated with the New York School of the 1960s and '70s. Known for his democratic eye toward the American social landscape, he weaves everyday scenes with visual complexity—layered reflections, signage, and shadows that challenge the viewer's perception of space and reality. The gelatin silver print medium, a hallmark of mid-20th-century photography, delivers rich...
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...