Diane Arbus

American, 1923 - 1971

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The image is a black and white photograph showing a young man from the waist up. He is standing upright and facing the camera with a direct gaze. His facial features include light-colored eyes and short, dark hair that appears slightly unkempt. He is wearing a dark jacket over a light-colored, button-up shirt. A button pinned to his jacket reads "I'M PROUD" with an American flag design. In his left hand, he is holding a small American flag. The background is plain and non-descript.
Diane Arbus, Patriotic young man with a flag, N.Y.C. 1967, 1967, gelatin silver print, Gift of Stephen G. Stein, 2022.146.4

Patriotic young man with a flag, N.Y.C. 1967

Diane Arbus · 1967 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2022.146.4
The image shows an interior room with a mural or large photograph of a cityscape, likely Manhattan. In the foreground, there is a round table with a decorative lamp and two chairs. The mural depicts skyscrapers and a waterfront. The view is framed by tree branches. The color scheme is grayscale, suggesting a vintage look. The brushstrokes, if visible, appear smooth. The composition combines interior elements with the city backdrop.
Diane Arbus, New York skyline in a lobby, N.Y.C. 1971, 1971, gelatin silver print, R. K. Mellon Family Foundation, 2004.36.1

New York skyline in a lobby, N.Y.C. 1971

Diane Arbus · 1971 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2004.36.1
The black and white photograph shows a young man and woman standing side by side in a park. The young man is on the left, shown from the waist up, with wavy, shoulder-length hair. He is wearing a military-style jacket with patches over a plaid shirt and is holding a hot dog in his right hand. The young woman, on the right, is also shown from the waist up. She has wavy hair and is wearing a dark denim jacket over a buttoned shirt with a circular zipper pull. She is holding a hot dog in her left hand, and her right arm is looped through the young man's arm. The background shows a blurred view of trees and park pathways.
Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk, A young man and his girlfriend with hot dogs in the park, N.Y.C. 1971, 1971, gelatin silver print, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Stephen G. Stein), 2015.19.5246

A young man and his girlfriend with hot dogs in the park, N.Y.C. 1971

Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk · 1971 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2015.19.5246
The image depicts an older woman's portrait. Her head and neck are visible, facing the camera directly with a slight tilt. She has a slightly aged face with makeup highlighting her eyes and lips. Her hair is styled beneath a wrapped turban. She is wearing a light-colored turban, a thick fur or faux-fur coat, and a fine black net veil draped over her face. She is accessorized with large, round pearl earrings. The background shows an urban setting with a building partially visible, and another high-rise building blurred against a bright sky.
Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk, Woman with a veil on Fifth Avenue, N.Y.C. 1968, 1968, gelatin silver print, Gift of Stephen G. Stein, 2020.29.85

Woman with a veil on Fifth Avenue, N.Y.C. 1968

Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk · 1968 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2020.29.85
The image shows a close-up of a young child's face with tears on their cheeks. The child has curly hair and is wearing a textured, buttoned garment that can be seen up to the neckline. In the background, there is an indistinct dark and blurred setting, possibly outdoors. No jewelry or objects are visible.
Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk, A child crying, N.J. 1967, 1967, printed later, gelatin silver print, R. K. Mellon Family Foundation, 2003.122.1

A child crying, N.J. 1967

Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk · 1967, printed later · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2003.122.1
This nearly square black and white photograph shows the head and shoulders of a person in front of a plain wall. Wearing a dark V-necked shirt, the person has an oval-shaped face and dark hair rolled in curlers. Finely plucked dark eyebrows frame large, luminous dark eyes, and the full lips are slightly open. A lit cigarette is held aloft in the person’s long-nailed left hand, on our right. Light comes from the left and deepens into shadow across the right half of the photograph.
Diane Arbus, A young man in curlers at home on West 20th Street, N.Y.C. 1966, 1966, gelatin silver print, Gift of the Collectors Committee, 1994.78.1

A young man in curlers at home on West 20th Street, N.Y.C. 1966

Diane Arbus · 1966 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  1994.78.1
The image shows a view overlooking a body of water with trees framing the scene on each side. The horizon is positioned near the upper third of the image, displaying rolling hills and a mountain peak. The black-and-white photograph emphasizes sharp detail and high contrast, showcasing the white bark of birch trees and the texture of the water. The monochromatic palette ranges from dark shadows in the water and trees to lighter tones in the sky and distant hills, creating a visually striking composition.
Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk, A lobby in a building, N.Y.C. 1966, 1966, printed later, gelatin silver print, R. K. Mellon Family Foundation, 2003.122.2

A lobby in a building, N.Y.C. 1966

Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk · 1966, printed later · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2003.122.2
This grayscale photograph shows three individuals, two adults and a youth, standing in front of a small structure or cabin. The adults are shown fully from head to toe, while the young person is visible from the knees up, positioned behind the adults on the steps up to the cabin door. They all have pale skin. The man on the left is standing facing forward with his legs slightly apart, a towel draped over his shoulders and a cigarette in his mouth. He has short, light-colored hair and wears glasses. The woman on the right is standing facing forward, with dark sunglasses and a towel over her shoulder. She holds a bag in her right hand and a dark object in her left hand. She has dark, curly hair. Both adults are nude except for shoes, with the man wearing dark shoes and the woman wearing sandals. The youth, standing between and behind the adults, has curly, light-colored hair and is topless, but they are wearing dark pants. The background consists of the exterior of a simple wooden structure with horizontal siding and a plain door. The ground appears grassy, with some bricks nearby on the left, and the sky on the right is overcast.
Diane Arbus, Family at their cabin, nudist camp, P.A. 1965, 1965, gelatin silver print, Gift of Stephen G. Stein, 2021.5.5

Family at their cabin, nudist camp, P.A. 1965

Diane Arbus · 1965 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2021.5.5
In this black-and-white photograph, three identical young women are seated side by side on a bed in a bedroom. They are positioned closely together, facing the camera. Each has an oval face, pale skin, and wavy dark hair pulled back with a white headband, and they are all wearing white shirts and dark skirts. The woman on the left has her hands clasped in her lap. The room has patterned wallpaper with diamond-like designs on a dark background, and on either side of the central bed, partial views of bed headboards and ruffled curtains are visible.
Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk, Triplets in their bedroom, N.J. 1963, 1963, printed later, gelatin silver print, R. K. Mellon Family Foundation, 2003.122.3

Triplets in their bedroom, N.J. 1963

Diane Arbus, Neil Selkirk · 1963, printed later · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2003.122.3
This grayscale photograph depicts a young woman shown in a full-body view. She is standing barefoot on sandy ground with her arms relaxed by her side. She has pale skin and short, light-colored hair that appears to be cut in a bowl-style or bob. She wears a white apron with a small front pocket around her waist, but no other clothing. There are trees and vegetation in the distance. To the right is a structure with vertical wood paneling and possibly a screened porch.
Diane Arbus, A young waitress at a nudist camp, N.J. 1963, 1963, gelatin silver print, Gift of Stephen G. Stein, 2020.29.50

A young waitress at a nudist camp, N.J. 1963

Diane Arbus · 1963 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2020.29.50

Bibliography

1972

  • Diane Arbus. Millerton, New York, 1972.

1984

  • Bosworth, Patricia. Diane Arbus: A Biography. New York, 1984.

  • Diane Arbus: Magazine Work. Millerton, New York, 1983.