Boy, Uruapan

Accession Number
1971/2.126.7

Title
Boy, Uruapan

Artist(s)
Paul Strand

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1933, printed 1967

Medium & Support
photogravure on paper

Dimensions
15 3/4 in x 12 3/8 in (40 cm x 31.4 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Philip C. Davis through the Friends of the Museum of Art

Subject matter
A young boy sits, staring straight ahead, looking disinterested. The boy wears light colored clothing and a thin strap around his shoulder, which disappears under his arm. His left hand rests on his knee, while he rests his chin in his other hand. On his left knee sits a large straw sun hat. Behind him is a fragment of concrete, referencing the architecture of the area and providing formal interest. Strand used a prism lens to disguise his intentions when photographing his human subjects during his time in Mexico. In order to capture his images of people his lens directed the light at a right angle, while appearing to shoot from the front.

This photograph is from Paul Strand's The Mexican Portfolio published in 1967 by Paul Strand. The portfolio consists of a series of 20 images depicting Mexico's people, architecture, landscape, and churches. It was first published in 1940 under the name Photographs of Mexico, and reprinted under Strand's supervision in 1967 as The Mexican Portfolio.

Physical Description
This is a photograph of a young boy in Uruapan, Mexico. The boy sits with his left hand on his knee and his chin resting in his right hand. 

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Mexico
boys
concrete slabs
hats
modern and contemporary art
portraits
seated
shirts (main garments)
sun hats
trousers

9 Related Resources

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Photographic Portraiture 1949-1969
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Tourism
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& Author Notes

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