Donald Cook and his son Michael, an apartment near Columbia University, Francis Mechner in background, young psychology grad students. Later they proposed innovating Basic Systems Computer teaching machines. New York, Fall 1953.

1953, printed 1990

Allen Ginsberg

Associated Names
Allen Ginsberg

Artist, American, 1926 - 1997

The image shows two figures prominently in the frame, along with a partially visible figure in the background. The closest figure is a young boy, seen from the waist up, sitting and leaning back slightly against the person behind him. His facial features appear soft, with a fringe haircut of straight hair falling on his forehead. The person behind the boy appears to be an adult male, seen from the waist up, seated or slightly leaning inwards with a relaxed posture. He has short hair that is combed to the side and a face that suggests a slight smile or neutral expression. Both he and the boy are wearing light-colored, casual shirts that cover their torsos. The background includes another male figure, slightly out of focus, who seems to be observing the scene while seated. In the foreground, there is a table with a mug and what seems to be a drawing pad or notebook. The setting is indoors, with blurred elements suggesting an intimate, possibly domestic space with neutral tones, and the top portion of the photo contains handwritten text that narrates additional context.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Gary Davis

  • Dimensions

    image: 25.6 × 25 cm (10 1/16 × 9 13/16 in.)
    sheet: 41.9 × 31.9 cm (16 1/2 × 12 9/16 in.)
    mount: 49.8 × 39.9 cm (19 5/8 × 15 11/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2018.196.28


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Allen Ginsberg Estate; Gary Davis, Greenwich, CT; gift to NGA, 2018.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

signed by artist, lower right on sheet in black ink: Allen Ginsberg; artist inscription, across bottom under image: Donald Cook and his son Michael, an apartment near Columbia University, / Francis Mechner in background, young psychology grad students. Later / they proposed innovating Basic Systems Computer teaching machines. New / York, Fall 1953.; on verso, by artist, upper center in graphite: [illegible]; by unknown hand, bottom center in graphite: GD-AG-49; bottom right: GDC-910; bottom left of mount in graphite circled: #14; bottom center of mount in graphite: Image # 14; bottom center of mount: GD-AG-49; bottom right of mount: GDC-910


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