1714/​6584

George Strock - Family of Man exhibition

“Conversation at the bar”, 1938. Gelatin silver print, printed in connection with the Family of Man exhibition in Copenhagen, Denmark 1957. With the MOMA exhibition number ( no. 206) stamped on verso. Sheet size 15×24 cm.

This famous photograph is one of the rare photographs which was to be used as press material for the Danish version of the famous photography exhibition Family of Man (1955) in 1957.

“Conversation at the bar” was featured in the world famous photographic exhibition Family of Man arranged by the American photographer and leader of the photographic department at MoMA Edward Steichen in New York in 1955. The humanistic exhibition sought to embrace the life of Man in all sorts of aspects. Steichen chose more than 500 images for the exhibition. After it had featured at MoMA it went on a world wide tour.

In 1957 the Family of Man exhibition was put on in Denmark and curated by the Danish photographer Bror Bernild. The exhibition was called “Vi mennesker” and was an immediate success. More than 60,000 Danes visited the exhibition and it's humanistisc appeal and use of photography generated an important debate about if it was art or documentation. The Family of Man is generally considered to have altered the exisiting idea about photography. Today it is regarded as the world's most influencial photographic exhibition of the 20th century.

Condition

Minor handlingmarks. With annotations, press text and stamps on verso.

Auction

Photographs, 4 April 2017

Category
Estimate

2,000–4,000 DKK

Sold

Price realised

1,050 DKK  

2 bids

When Bidder Bid
1,050 DKK
1,000 DKK