Clothing Factory, Soviet Union

1954

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Associated Names
Henri Cartier-Bresson

Artist, French, 1908 - 2004

Magnum Photos

Publisher

This black-and-white photograph depicts a large workroom filled with around 20 women, most seated and working at long rectangular tables. In the bottom right corner, a partial view of a woman’s shoulder, draped in black-and-white striped fabric, enters the frame. In the foreground, a young woman faces the camera while working with a piece of dark striped fabric held in both hands. She wears a plain cotton blouse that closely matches her light skin, and her hair is pinned up. Her head tilts slightly upward, though her eyes remain focused on her task. She leans forward with a slightly hunched posture. A desk lamp with a curved metal arm casts light onto her workspace, where scraps of fabric and sewing tools are scattered, suggesting careful, repetitive handwork. Behind her, the room extends deep into the background, filled with rows of similar tables. Many women sit closely together, with only a few standing, all engaged in sewing, cutting, or assembling fabric. Their hair is either pinned up or cut short, and their heads are bent downward in concentration. To the left, a dark wood door remains closed, contrasting with the plain white walls. Overhead, multiple metal light fixtures hang from the high ceiling.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Gary Davis

  • Dimensions

    image: 24.9 × 17 cm (9 13/16 × 6 11/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2012.118.25


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York); Gary Davis, Greenwich, CT, purchased 2002; gift to NGA, 2012.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

on verso, by unknown hand, lower center in blue pencil: Clothing Manufacture; stamped, upper center, in blue ink: PLEASE CREDIT / HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON (Magnum) / Magnum Photos Inc. / 17 East 64th Street / New York 21, N. Y. / PHOTOS MUST NOT BE ALTERED BY TRIMMING; additional stamps from LIFE Magazine and other editorial and archival marks by unknown hand

Wikidata ID

Q64154984

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