Main Street, Saratoga Springs, New York

Accession Number
1971/2.138

Title
Main Street, Saratoga Springs, New York

Artist(s)
Walker Evans

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1931

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
7 3/8 in x 6 5/16 in (18.73 cm x 16.03 cm);22 1/8 in x 18 in (56.2 cm x 45.72 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase made possible by the Friends of the Museum of Art

Subject matter
As a historical tourist destination known for racing and gambling since the eighteenth century, Saratoga Springs drew the team of Lincoln Kirstein, John Brooks Wheelwright, and Walker Evans on an expedition to photograph Victorian buildings that were in danger of being demolished. In this photograph, a stream of black cars are pictured parked along the length of a rainy street bounded by stores and elegant hotels. The romantic mood conveyed in this scene stands in contrast to the dryness and frontality that would later become the hallmark of Evans' style.

Physical Description
Elevated view of a rain-glazed street lined with parked cars and trees.

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
automobiles
buildings
car
city
cityscapes (representations)
downtowns
modern and contemporary art
parking (area)
portfolios
rain
roads
streets
trees

7 Related Resources

Cars and Car Culture
(Part of 7 Learning Collections)
The City in Photography 1900-1948
(Part of 8 Learning Collections)
The Modern Metropolis
(Part of 7 Learning Collections)
Transportation
(Part of 5 Learning Collections)
Line of Progress
(Part of: F20 / W21 Gibelyou - ALA 350 - Predicting the Future)

& Author Notes

All Rights Reserved