In the 1930s and 1940s Bourke-White was one of the most famous and highly paid photographers in the United States. Her work for Fortune magazine and, later, Life, was seen by millions of Americans on a weekly basis. She is best known for sleek and idealized photographs of machine-age industry and architectural icons of the period, such as the Fort Peck Dam.
This photograph and an attached card were used as an announcement for the 1930 opening of Bourke-White’s new studio in the Chrysler Building, another building emblematic of that era. She captured the gleaming top of the Art Deco structure from below and at a sharp angle, isolating it from the fabric of the city and emphasizing its design. Such a treatment emulated the style of Russian constructivist photography, which was just beginning to influence American commercial work at the time.
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 you contact us at collections@sfmoma.org to confirm 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 collection holdings and artwork information. If you are interested in receiving a high resolution image of an artwork for educational, scholarly, or publication purposes, please contact us at copyright@sfmoma.org.
This resource is for educational use and its contents may not be reproduced without permission. Please review our Terms of Use for more information.