Subway Portrait

1938-1941

Walker Evans

Associated Names
Walker Evans

Artist, American, 1903 - 1975

The image shows a man reading a newspaper inside a subway car. Only the upper half of his body is visible, and he is viewed in profile. The man's head is slightly inclined forward, and he is intently reading. He is wearing a dark-colored hat and has short, dark hair. The man is dressed in a dark coat, and a plaid scarf is visible around his neck. Next to him is an older style sign stating rules against spitting. Above him, there are advertisements on the subway wall, including a poster for Goodman's Pure Egg Noodles and an advertisement featuring a woman's face. In the background, the subway car has metallic and glass elements, and the lighting suggests an interior urban setting.
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Artwork overview


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. Lunn, Jr., New York, NY; gift to NGA, 1990.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

lower left verso: Evans estate stamp with inventory number VI-188 added in graphite

Wikidata ID

Q64171862

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