Weegee (Arthur H. Fellig)
American, born Poland (Zloczew, Poland, 1899 - 1968, New York City, New York)After the Opera, at Sammy's - on the Bowery
One of Weegee's favorite hangouts was Sammy's Bar, located in the infamous Bowery section of New York. Manhattan's skid row, the Bowery was filled with flophouses, bars, brothels, and music halls. In Life magazine, Weegee wrote of Sammy's, "It is a haven for derelicts and a hangout for the well-heeled. Entertainment is provided by not only the 'past their prime' vaudevillians, but also by the frowzy men and blowzy women."
This photograph depicts the strange intersection of the rich and downtrodden at the raucous bar. Some of Weegee's other Sammy's images capture the antics of the colorful performers and drunken revelers who congregated there at all hours.
Keywords
men, pigs, tables, tuxedos, legs, New York
Please note that artwork locations are subject to change, and not all works are on view at all times. If you are planning a visit to SFMOMA to see a specific work of art, we suggest that you contact us in advance at collections@sfmoma.org to confirm that it will be on view.
Only a portion of SFMOMA's collection is currently online, and the information presented here is subject to revision. Please contact us at collections@sfmoma.org to verify artwork details.
This resource is for educational use and its contents may not be reproduced without permission. Please review our Terms of Use for more information.
