William Burroughs amusing himself with 1953's recent translation of St.-Jean Perse's Vents, living room floor 206 East 7th Street New York City, Fall '53.

1953, printed later

Allen Ginsberg

Associated Names
Allen Ginsberg

Artist, American, 1926 - 1997

The image depicts the upper half of a man's body reclining on a couch. He is on his back with his head resting on a cushion and his upper body tilted slightly to the side. One hand is on his chin, while the other holds a book titled "Winds." The man has well-defined facial features, short, neatly combed hair, and is dressed in a dark short-sleeved shirt and darker pants. Beside him is a decorative lamp on a patterned carpet. In the background, part of the detailed upholstery of the couch and a pillow can be seen. Handwritten text at the bottom provides details about the location and time.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Gary S. Davis

  • Dimensions

    image: 16.67 × 25.88 cm (6 9/16 × 10 3/16 in.)
    sheet: 27.62 × 35.56 cm (10 7/8 × 14 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2010.137.22

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Allen Ginsberg Estate; Gary S. Davis, Greenwich, CT; gift to NGA, 2010.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

signed by artist, across bottom in black ink: William Burroughs amusing himself with 1953's recent translation of St.-Jean Perse's / Vents, living room floor 206 East 7th Street New York City, Fall '53. Allen Ginsberg; on verso, by unknown hand, upper left in graphite: # 18 VE; upper right in graphite: # 11; center in graphite: page 26; lower left in graphite: # 19/173 / 1953 / BK5 # 13B / neg 8; bottom center in graphite: GD-AG-244; lower right in graphite: GDC-750

Wikidata ID

Q64073446

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