Untitled (Man reading in bed)
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
image: 13.7 × 7.7 cm (5 3/8 × 3 1/16 in.) sheet: 15 × 8.9 cm (5 7/8 × 3 1/2 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon
Accession Number
2018.177.247
Art Historical Context
In the intimate "Untitled (Man reading in)," an anonymous American photographer from the 1940s captures a quiet moment of domestic repose. This gelatin silver print, measuring just 13.7 × 7.7 cm, depicts a man absorbed in a book while lounging in bed,oking the simple pleasures of mid-century American life amid the upheavals of World War and postwar recovery. The small scale suggests it may have been a personal snapshot, elevated to artistic status through its subtle composition and tonal depth. Gelatin silver prints, popular throughout the 20th century, were prized for their sharp detail and ...
About the Artist
American 20th Century
"American 20th Century" is the designation used by major institutions such as the National Gallery of Art (NGA) for anonymous and unidentified artists active in the United States during the twentieth century. The artist's personal identity, early life, and training remain undocumented, reflecting the challenges of attribution for unattributed works from this era. No specific teachers, art schools,...