Migrant Mother series

March 1936, printed 1960s

Dorothea Lange

Associated Names
Dorothea Lange

Artist, American, 1895 - 1965

The images show a progression of close-up shots, from a full-body view to a tight close-up of a woman and her children. The scenes depict the woman sitting under a tent with two children, surrounded by minimal possessions. The woman's appearance suggests she has faced challenges. The focus later shifts to close-ups of the woman holding her child, showing her tired expression and disheveled hair. The final close-ups emphasize the woman's solemn face and the children's presence, with a blurry background. The images show raw depictions of family life without any visible jewelry or additional objects.
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Artwork overview

More About this Artwork

Article:  The Real Lives of People in Dorothea Lange's Portraits

Four everyday Americans were the subject of her famous photographs. Discover the heartbreak and suffering they faced at crucial points in American history.


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Dorothea Lange, Berkeley, CA; by descent to Helen Dixon, her daughter-in-law, CA, 1965; (RoseGallery, Santa Monica, CA); Daniel Greenberg and Susan Steinhauser, Van Nuys, CA, 8 May 2012; gift to NGA, 2016.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

on verso, by unknown hand, center perpendicular in graphite: 16; bottom right corner: #51

Wikidata ID

Q64146869

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