Sonora
1995
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 37.8 x 37.5 cm (14 7/8 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
2001.22.402
Art Historical Context
**Sonora**, a captivating gelatin silver print by Lee Friedlander from 1995, invites visitors into the master's distinctive vision of the American landscape.lander, a pioneering figure in contemporary street photography since the 1960s, is celebrated for his dense, multifaceted compositions that layer reflections, shadows, and everyday details into intricate visual puzzles. This square-format image (37.8 x 37.5 cm) exemplifies his lifelong dedication to black-and-white gelatin silver printing—a traditional process involving light-sensitive silver halides on paper—choosing it over color to heig...
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...