[Children with Soap Bubbles, New York City]

Helen Levitt

ca. 1945, printed 1970s · Gelatin silver print · Photographs

Helen Levitt's photographs of everyday life in her own New York neighborhood have epitomized domestic urban life for over sixty years. This image of children - one of her most common subjects - demonstrates Levitt's astute portrayal of gesture, praised as "lyrical" by James Agee in the introduction to her book, A Way of Seeing. As the viewer's attention echoes the children's glance toward the left of the scene, the picture poses a riddle as to the bubbles' source, transforming this gritty city street into a magical metropolitan playground.

Artist

Helen Levitt

Date

ca. 1945, printed 1970s

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Gift of Marvin Hoshino, 1986