Sonora
1990s
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 37.9 x 37.5 cm (14 15/16 x 14 3/4 in.) sheet: 50.5 x 40.6 cm (19 7/8 x 16 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Patrons' Permanent Fund
Accession Number
2001.22.385
Art Historical Context
Lee Friedlander's *Sonora*, a gelatin silver print from the 0s, captures the enduring fascination with the American landscape its subtle complexities. Friedlander, a pioneering figure in street and social landscape photography since the 1960s, is renowned for his intricate compositions that layer foreground elements—like tangled branches or urban signage—with distant vistas, creating a sense of visual density and immediacy. This work, acquired through the National Gallery Art's Patrons' Fund, exemplifies his mature style, where everyday scenes reveal deeper perceptual games. The medium of gel...
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...