Dorothea lange dorothea lange biography with photo. Afterward lange informed the authorities of the plight of those at the encampment, and they sent 20,000 pounds of food. Dorothea langes 1936 photograph of a worried migrant mother is the single most iconic image of the great depression, and one of the most famous pictures of all time, yet for decades after it was taken, almost nothing was known about its subject. In fortyeight pages sarah meister creates an interesting story of how lange took this photo in a californian peapickers camp in early march 1936 and how, over the years, it has grown in stature to be regarded as a masterpiece of american documentary photography. The fame of migrant mother has cropped langes reputation unfairly.
When she once complained about the continual use of this photograph to the neglect of her others, she was reminded by a friend that time is the greatest of editors, and the most reliable. Meaning in dorothea langes photos, and their interactions. Migrant mother is a paperback book which traces dorothea langes documentation of the great oppression with stirring photographs of human. The subject of this book, dorothea langes migrant mother, exists in more formats, prints, and places than arguably any other photograph in the world. Dorothea lange and the making of migrant mother follow the rich history of dorothea lange, as she captured the iconic and lasting portrait of florence thompson, more famously known as migrant mother. Her bestknown image is migrant mother, nipomo, california 1936. Photographer dorothea lange is a seminal figure in both the history of social documentary photography and the historical progression of photography as a medium. With her children cowering behind her for protection, hiding their faces, the migrant mother gazes distractedly into the distance. Dorothea lange, american documentary photographer whose portraits of displaced farmers during the great depression greatly influenced later documentary and journalistic photography. Her iconic photograph migrant mother cemented dorothea langes place in history. Dorothea langes haunting photos of depressionera america. The subject of this book, dorothea lange s migrant mother, exists in more formats, prints, and places than arguably any other photograph in the world. Most individuals encounter lange through her iconic image migrant mother, a photograph of florence owens thompson taken in nipomo.
It seems as though i see something new in it every time i look at it. Sam contis was in our new photography show in 2018, and while she was doing that show, she heard that i was working on the migrant mother book. Dorothea langes migrant mother inspires the story of mary coin. But her famous migrant mother and other images made for the federal farm security administration represent only a fraction of the staggering. The womans name was frances owens thompson, and the result of their encounter was five exposures, including migrant mother, which would become an iconic piece of documentary photography. A brief but worthwhile little book devoted to langes migrant mother. This book chronicles a time in the united states that was not so great for those who were poor and treated unfairly. Dorothea lange s migrant mother was photographed in february 1936 in a pea pickers camp in nipomo, california, while on assignment as a photographer for the resettlement administration ra, which soon would become the betterknown farm security administration fsa. I told her i was thinking about turning my little dorothea lange idea into a bigger one and that she should stay in touch. Dorothea lange s migrant mother photographs in the farm security administration collection discover more about an iconic image from the farm security administration collection. Dorothea lange took this photograph in 1936, while employed by the u. Dorothea lange used photography to make an ugly world beautiful. Langes photograph of florence owens thompson has intrigued academics and photographers for decades. In 1936, dorothea lange produced one of the most iconic photographs of all time migrant mother, nipomo, california, a picture showing a mother and her two children living in a camp for workers.
Dorothea langes migrant mother is one of my favorite photos from the great depression because of its haunting quality. In another interview cited in mariemonique robins 1999 book the photos of. Dorothea langes migrant mother inspires the story of mary coin marisa silvers new novel imagines the meeting of a depressionera photographer and her nowiconic subject. Discover more about an iconic image from the farm security administration collection. It comes from a series of photographs that she took of the family in 1936 in california, during a monthlong trip of photographic migratory farm labor around the. Dorothea lange s migrant mother, nipomo, california, march 1936 dorothea lange courtesy museum of modern art, new york or theres lange s most famous photograph, the one commonly referred to.
Dorothea lange may 26, 1895 october 11, 1965 was an american documentary photographer and photojournalist, best known for her depressionera work for the farm security administration fsa. In this sweeping account, renowned historian linda gordon charts langes journey from polioridden child to wife and mother, to san francisco portrait photographer, to chronicler of the. Our website is open for business, and were shipping as usual. National digital library program rothstein, arthur hemmig, robert pike, russ archive of american folk song lomax, alan. Meanwhile, migrant mother made dorothea lange s reputation, helped earn her a guggenheim fellowship, and conferred fame and a permanent place in the canon of american photographers. Dorothea langes migrant mother inspires the story of. Dorothea langes migrant mother, taken in 1936 in nipomo, calif. Migrant mother is a paperback book which traces dorothea lange s documentation of the great oppression with stirring photographs of human hardship. And there was the 1939 book by lange and taylor, an. Migrant mother, nipomo, california, 1936 library of. Dorothea langes migrant mother inspires the story of mary coin marisa silvers new novel imagines the meeting of a depressionera. Migrant mother and children california library of congress. Reconsidering dorothea langes photographs in day sleeper. The united states was in the midst of the depression when photographer dorothea lange, a portraitstudio owner, began documenting the countrys rampant.
Unraveling the mysteries of dorothea langes migrant mother. Review how dorothea lange ended up capturing the great. Since its 1930s debut, migrant mother has been regarded as a symbol of life during the great depression and celebrated as lange s finest work. The story of the migrant mother antiques roadshow pbs. Migrant mother 100 photographs the most influential.
Migrant mother is also a singular icon of twentiethcentury art. Migrant mother, nipomo, california by sarah hermanson meister, 9781633450660, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. After the death of hendrie and his wife, their daughter, marian tankersley, rediscovered the photos while emptying her parents san jose home. How dorothea lange ended up capturing the great depression and becoming an influential photographer. In the late 1960s, bill hendrie found the original migrant mother photograph along with 31 other unretouched, vintage photos by dorothea lange in a dumpster at the san jose chamber of commerce.
Yet lange herself could never understand its particular appeal. Dorothea lange 18951965, best known for her iconic photograph representing the great depression, migrant mother, had a fourdecade career that culminated in the first onewoman photography. From evans, she learned how to frame precise images of clapboard churches. Migrant mother, langes image from the depression, came to define her but a new book reveals a more intimate, strikingly modern side to the great photographer. In the 1930s, photographer dorothea lange traveled the american west. Poignant black and white pictures that defined the deprivation and devastation of the dust bowl and great depression, including the indelible migrant mother, on view at new dorothea lange. Now a new exhibition and book seeks to expand the way we see langes substantial body of work. One of them, migrant mother, became the iconic photo of the depression, and one of the most familiar images of the 20th century.
This book, part of the captured history series, tells the story behind that famous photograph, describing how lange happened upon a migrant workers camp in california, and. Moma to stage dorothea lange retrospective in 2020. She is a key link in a chain of photographic history. Of the 160,000 images taken by lange and other photographers for the resettlement administration, migrant mother has become the most iconic picture of the depression. Migrant mother, a photographic historical movement uncategorized dorothy lange, a renowned, documentary photographer during the great depression in the 1930s once said, the camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera davis, the photographs of dorothea lange. This guide discusses photographer dorothea lange s work, provides other views of florence owens thompson the migrant mother, and lists additional resources.
Poignant black and white pictures that defined the. Migrant mother was made in 1936 but wasnt known by that title until 1952, and the woman in the image, florence owens. Migrant mother, a photographic historical movement. Selected bibliography dorothea langes migrant mother. While the negative of the image is housed in the library of congress where it is filed under lange s original description, destitute pea pickers in california. New retrospective of dorothea lange, known for documenting. Photograph shows florence thompson with three of her children in a photograph known as migrant mother. Dorothea lange and the making of migrant mother jstor. Migrant mother, a new book from the museum of modern art, offers fresh insights as it weaves a compelling tale about some littleexplored details. The story of dorothea lange s life and her body of creative work is so much more than her wellknown photograph of the migrant mother. Unraveling the mysteries of dorothea langes migrant mother the. A whole gallery at the barbican is devoted to lange s deathless migrant mother.
Twentyfour years later, lange wrote up her recollections for an article in. Through an intimate portrait of the toll being exacted. One of the most recognized faces in the american history is the one of migrant mother florence owens thompson and her children, taken by farm security administration photographer dorothea lange. This book, part of the captured history series, tells the story behind that famous photograph, describing how lange happened upon a migrant workers camp in california, and took six shots of one family in a makeshift shelter. Although lange usually took meticulous notes, she did not have any for the migrant mother picture taken in 1936. Migrant mother and children california contributor names lange, dorothea, photographer.
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