Soapsuds

1930, printed before mid 1950s

ringl + pit, Ellen Auerbach, Grete Stern

Associated Names
ringl + pit

Artist, German, active 1930 - 1933

Ellen Auerbach

Artist, American, born Germany, 1906 - 2004

Grete Stern

Artist, Argentinean, born Germany, 1904 - 1999

This is a photograph of hands being washed in a basin filled with soapy water. The image shows a pair of hands submerged in frothy, bubble-laden water contained in a round basin. The photograph is in black and white, highlighting the textures and contrasts between the smooth skin of the hands and the effervescent bubbles. The focus is on the way the soap suds cling to the skin, and the way the light interacts with the bubbles. The close-up perspective allows for a detailed view of the washing process, emphasizing cleanliness and the tactile sensation of water and soap.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 25 × 23.1 cm (9 13/16 × 9 1/8 in.)
    image: 24.2 × 22.4 cm (9 1/2 × 8 13/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.199.2

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Estate of Ellen Auerbach; Collection of Juan Mandelbaum; (Robert Mann Gallery, New York); NGA purchase, 2015.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

on verso, signed by Ellen Auerbach, center in graphite: Photo: Ellen Auerbach / Grete Stern; lower left in graphite: Soapsuds, 1930; upper center stamped in black ink: FOTOGRAFIE ringl / + pit; by unknown hand, upper right in graphite: RMG 4184; by different hand, upper center in graphite: #6

Wikidata ID

Q64159163

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