Alma Lavenson

American, 1897 - 1989

Explore selected works

This is a black and white image of a Pueblo-style adobe building. Multiple levels of walls and structures are stacked. The image is taken from a slightly elevated position, focusing on the central arrangement of the adobe walls. The horizon is absent, and the walls occupy the entire frame. Several doors and small windows punctuate the walls, and a ladder leans against the building. Shadows are cast by protruding wooden beams, adding dimensionality and texture. The adobe construction provides a smooth, matte texture to the surfaces. Close to the viewer, a low stone wall creates a boundary, with scattered stones on the ground. The overall monochromatic palette focuses on the textures and interplay of light and shadow, giving a serene and timeless quality to the image.
Alma Lavenson, Taos, New Mexico, 1944, gelatin silver print, Gift of Susan Ehrens in honor of Albert Wahrhaftig, 2020.144.3

Taos, New Mexico

Alma Lavenson · 1944 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2020.144.3

This grayscale photograph shows an adobe-style doorway with steps leading up to a cross at the top, set against a sky with a few small clouds. There are low walls on either side of the doorway. The adobe texture appears rough and coarse. Behind the central doorway is another wall or building that is in shadow.
Alma Lavenson, Church at Taos, 1941, gelatin silver print, Alfred H. Moses and Fern M. Schad Fund, 2026.1.24

Church at Taos

Alma Lavenson · 1941 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2026.1.24

The image features a man and a woman, shown from the torso up. The man stands near a wooden post, while the woman leans against a stucco wall with her hands supporting her chin. The man has long, light-colored hair and wears a cloth around his head. He has a serious expression and is holding a small object. The woman has straight, dark hair with bangs and a checked blanket over her head. She wears a floral-patterned garment and has a calm expression. The background shows a section of an adobe or plastered building with a wooden beam overhead and a window framed by stucco.
Alma Lavenson, San Ildefonso Pueblo Indians, New Mexico, 1941, gelatin silver print, Gift of Susan Ehrens in honor of Albert Wahrhaftig, 2020.144.4

San Ildefonso Pueblo Indians, New Mexico

Alma Lavenson · 1941 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2020.144.4

Alma Lavenson, Big Sur Bridge, 1933, gelatin silver print, R. K. Mellon Family Foundation, 2026.1.40

Big Sur Bridge

Alma Lavenson · 1933 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2026.1.40

Alma Lavenson, L. Claverey and Company Store, Columbia, California, 1932, gelatin silver print, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, 2026.1.10

L. Claverey and Company Store, Columbia, California

Alma Lavenson · 1932 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2026.1.10

This is a photograph of hands gripping a tool. It shows a close-up view of two hands holding a metal rod or lever. The hands are positioned in a way that suggests exertion or use of force. The lighting creates a dramatic contrast, highlighting the texture of the skin and casting shadows. The background is blurred, emphasizing the hands and the tool as the central elements. The light source appears to come from the side, enhancing the three-dimensional quality of the scene and emphasizing the details of the working hands. The photograph conveys a sense of labor and focus, capturing a moment of physical engagement with a task or tool.
Alma Lavenson, Hands of an Etcher, 1932, gelatin silver print, Gift of Susan Ehrens in honor of Albert Wahrhaftig, 2020.144.1

Hands of an Etcher

Alma Lavenson · 1932 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2020.144.1

This image shows a close-up of a person's hands holding a camera. The hands are positioned around the lens, with the camera centered in the image. The person’s torso or face is not visible. The hands appear to have a grip on the camera, which is mounted on a wooden tripod. The camera is an older model with a circular lens and visible dials and markings. The background is dark and out of focus, suggesting an indoor setting with minimal lighting. The image has a monochromatic tone.
Alma Lavenson, Self-Portrait, 1932, gelatin silver print, Robert B. Menschel and the Vital Projects Fund, Diana and Mallory Walker Fund, New Century Fund, and the Eugene L. and Marie-Louise Garbáty Fund, 2014.78.1

Self-Portrait

Alma Lavenson · 1932 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2014.78.1

This is a photograph of industrial storage tanks and a building. The image features large cylindrical tanks labeled with "AVIATION GASOLINE" and the number "2634". Adjacent to the tanks is a building with corrugated metal siding. The scene is captured with a strong geometric composition, emphasizing the contrast between light and shadow on the surfaces.
Alma Lavenson, Tanks, Standard Oil Company, 1931, gelatin silver print, The Marvin Breckinridge Patterson Fund for Photography, 1999.131.1

Tanks, Standard Oil Company

Alma Lavenson · 1931 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  1999.131.1

This is a photograph of two maintenance workers performing tasks on a ship's smokestack. The workers are seen suspended and focused on working, equipped with painting tools. The image shows the industrial architecture of the smokestack against a bright sky, with shadows from the workers and equipment cast on a nearby cloth or sail.
Alma Lavenson, Painting the Stack, 1931, gelatin silver print, Gift of Susan Ehrens in honor of Albert Wahrhaftig, 2020.144.2

Painting the Stack

Alma Lavenson · 1931 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2020.144.2

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