The Family in Photography | Spencer Museum of Art

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Exhibition

The Family in Photography

The Family in Photography

Stefanie Vigil, curator

December 6, 1997–March 22, 1998

North Balcony, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

This exhibition examines the evolution of images of the family from the 19th century to the present. It also explores the social changes that are encoded in images of the family. As the most important social instituting of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the family, and the values and beliefs shared by its members, are indicative of the values of society as a whole. This examination of photographs of the family offers an insightful look at how our ideas about ourselves have changed since the mid-nineteenth century.

Exhibition images

Works of art

portrait of young woman standing between two men — portrait of young woman standing between two men, circa 1850

portrait of couple — portrait of couple, circa 1850

portrait of two young girls — portrait of two young girls, circa 1855

portrait of man and woman, unknown maker — unknown maker

portrait of man and woman, circa 1850

portrait of woman and children, unknown maker — unknown maker

portrait of woman and children, circa 1850

portrait of young boy and girl, unknown maker — unknown maker

portrait of young boy and girl, circa 1855

Joseph Judd and Edith Stanley Pennell, Jon Blumb (born 1956); Joseph Judd Pennell (1866–1922) — Jon Blumb (born 1956); Joseph Judd Pennell (1866–1922)

Joseph Judd and Edith Stanley Pennell, 1899

Zero Mostell and Family, Max Waldman (1919–1981) — Max Waldman (1919–1981)

Zero Mostell and Family, circa 1962

U.S.A., Elliott Erwitt (1928–2023) — Elliott Erwitt (1928–2023)

U.S.A., 1964

Ricky Nelson and family, Diane Arbus (1923–1971) — Diane Arbus (1923–1971)

Ricky Nelson and family, 1971

The Poet's Family at Farringford, Oscar Gustav Rejlander (1813–1875) — Oscar Gustav Rejlander (1813–1875)

The Poet's Family at Farringford, circa 1863

portrait of Henry Aten, T. C. Mathewson — T. C. Mathewson

portrait of Henry Aten, 1865

Pauley Wedding, Jon Blumb (born 1956); Joseph Judd Pennell (1866–1922) — Jon Blumb (born 1956); Joseph Judd Pennell (1866–1922)

Pauley Wedding, 1901

La Stricte Intimité (Strict Intimacy), Robert Doisneau (1912–1994) — Robert Doisneau (1912–1994)

La Stricte Intimité (Strict Intimacy), 1945

Wedding, France, Gordon Parks (1912–2006) — Gordon Parks (1912–2006)

Wedding, France, 1951

Christmas at Hinky Dinky, Lincoln, Nebraska, James Alinder (1941–2023) — James Alinder (1941–2023)

Christmas at Hinky Dinky, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1971

untitled (boy standing in corner of his room), Mark Goodman (born 1946) — Mark Goodman (born 1946)

untitled (boy standing in corner of his room), circa 1970s

untitled (woman seated on unmade bed), Mark Goodman (born 1946) — Mark Goodman (born 1946)

untitled (woman seated on unmade bed), circa 1970s

untitled (girl standing in doorway), Mark Goodman (born 1946) — Mark Goodman (born 1946)

untitled (girl standing in doorway), late 1900s

untitled (children under coat), Diane Arbus (1923–1971); Neil Selkirk (born 1947); Doon Arbus (born 1945) — Diane Arbus (1923–1971); Neil Selkirk (born 1947); Doon Arbus (born 1945)

untitled (children under coat), circa 1955–1960

Jesse Among the Chickens, Sparta, Wisconsin, James Alinder (1941–2023) — James Alinder (1941–2023)

Jesse Among the Chickens, Sparta, Wisconsin, 1971

untitled (two boys in swim trunks), Mark Goodman (born 1946) — Mark Goodman (born 1946)

untitled (two boys in swim trunks), circa 1970s

In the Sprinkler, Auburndale, Mary Stuart Lang (born 1949) — Mary Stuart Lang (born 1949)

In the Sprinkler, Auburndale, 1987

Three in the Trees, Auburndale, Mary Stuart Lang (born 1949) — Mary Stuart Lang (born 1949)

Three in the Trees, Auburndale, 1988

Chicago #770, Harry Callahan (1912–1999) — Harry Callahan (1912–1999)

Chicago #770, 1950

Wife on Pillow, Emmet Gowin (born 1941) — Emmet Gowin (born 1941)

Wife on Pillow, circa 1967

Wife and Car, Emmet Gowin (born 1941) — Emmet Gowin (born 1941)

Wife and Car, 1971

J. B. M., Chester J. Michalik (born 1935) — Chester J. Michalik (born 1935)

J. B. M., 1968

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Gable (Arlene Francis and Martin Gable), Robert Benton (born 1932) — Robert Benton (born 1932)

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Gable (Arlene Francis and Martin Gable), mid-late 1900s

Mr. and Mrs. Monte Kay (Diahann Carroll and Monte Kay), Robert Benton (born 1932) — Robert Benton (born 1932)

Mr. and Mrs. Monte Kay (Diahann Carroll and Monte Kay), 1962

Mr. and Mrs. Xavier Cugat (Abbie Lane and Xavier Cugat), Robert Benton (born 1932) — Robert Benton (born 1932)

Mr. and Mrs. Xavier Cugat (Abbie Lane and Xavier Cugat), mid 1900s

Mr. and Mrs. Mickey Hargitay (Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield), Robert Benton (born 1932) — Robert Benton (born 1932)

Mr. and Mrs. Mickey Hargitay (Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield), 1962

untitled (house and photograph), Jerry Norman Uelsmann (1934–2022) — Jerry Norman Uelsmann (1934–2022)

untitled (house and photograph), 1969

Forgotten Heritage, Jerry Norman Uelsmann (1934–2022) — Jerry Norman Uelsmann (1934–2022)

Forgotten Heritage, 1969

Room #1, Jerry Norman Uelsmann (1934–2022) — Jerry Norman Uelsmann (1934–2022)

Room #1, 1963

untitled, Jim Goldberg (born 1953) — Jim Goldberg (born 1953)

untitled, 1984

untitled, Jim Goldberg (born 1953) — Jim Goldberg (born 1953)

untitled, 1979

A Husband and Wife in the Woods at a Nudist Camp, NJ, Diane Arbus (1923–1971) — Diane Arbus (1923–1971)

A Husband and Wife in the Woods at a Nudist Camp, NJ, 1963

Share Croppers Family, Hale County, Alabama, Walker Evans (1903–1975); Evans Estate — Walker Evans (1903–1975); Evans Estate

Share Croppers Family, Hale County, Alabama, 1936

Woman and Children, Havana, Walker Evans (1903–1975) — Walker Evans (1903–1975)

Woman and Children, Havana, 1932

The family of a migratory fruit worker from Tennessee now camped in a field near the packinghouse at Winter Haven, Florida, Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985) — Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985)

The family of a migratory fruit worker from Tennessee now camped in a field near the packinghouse at Winter Haven, Florida, 1937

Knoxville, Tennessee, 1949, Marion Palfi (1907–1978) — Marion Palfi (1907–1978)

Knoxville, Tennessee, 1949, 1949

Harlem Document, Aaron Siskind (1903–1991) — Aaron Siskind (1903–1991)

Harlem Document, circa 1935

The da Silva Family at Dawn, Gordon Parks (1912–2006) — Gordon Parks (1912–2006)

The da Silva Family at Dawn, 1961

Tomoko and Mother in the Bath, W. Eugene Smith (1918–1978) — W. Eugene Smith (1918–1978)

Tomoko and Mother in the Bath, 1972

Jim Miller's House, Jon Blumb (born 1956); Joseph Judd Pennell (1866–1922) — Jon Blumb (born 1956); Joseph Judd Pennell (1866–1922)

Jim Miller's House, 1899

untitled (Ronald Reagan on TV), Bill Owens (born 1938) — Bill Owens (born 1938)

untitled (Ronald Reagan on TV), circa 1973

untitled (man holding baby), Mark Goodman (born 1946) — Mark Goodman (born 1946)

untitled (man holding baby), circa 1970s

Colorado Springs, Robert Adams (born 1937) — Robert Adams (born 1937)

Colorado Springs, 1968

Tract House, Colorado Springs, Robert Adams (born 1937) — Robert Adams (born 1937)

Tract House, Colorado Springs, 1970

Kansas, Mark Goodman (born 1946) — Mark Goodman (born 1946)

Kansas, 1976

The Porter's Tree, Geoffrey L. Winningham (born 1943) — Geoffrey L. Winningham (born 1943)

The Porter's Tree, 1972

untitled (girl in bedroom holding clarinet), Mark Goodman (born 1946) — Mark Goodman (born 1946)

untitled (girl in bedroom holding clarinet), 1980s

Steve Wayne, Jr. at Graceland, Joe Kelly (born 1953) — Joe Kelly (born 1953)

Steve Wayne, Jr. at Graceland, 1979

Betsy and Kathleen, Howard Welford Casler (1914–1973) — Howard Welford Casler (1914–1973)

Betsy and Kathleen, 1942

Betsy and Kathleen, Howard Welford Casler (1914–1973) — Howard Welford Casler (1914–1973)

Betsy and Kathleen, 1942

Mother and Child, Howard Welford Casler (1914–1973) — Howard Welford Casler (1914–1973)

Mother and Child, 1942

untitled (woman bending over a child), Gertrude Stanton Käsebier (1852–1934) — Gertrude Stanton Käsebier (1852–1934)

untitled (woman bending over a child), 1899

Mother and Child, Gertrude Stanton Käsebier (1852–1934) — Gertrude Stanton Käsebier (1852–1934)

Mother and Child, 1897

untitled (Mrs. Hermine Turner, Son, and Daughter Mina), Gertrude Stanton Käsebier (1852–1934) — Gertrude Stanton Käsebier (1852–1934)

untitled (Mrs. Hermine Turner, Son, and Daughter Mina), circa 1910

untitled (woman holding a baby), Gertrude Stanton Käsebier (1852–1934) — Gertrude Stanton Käsebier (1852–1934)

untitled (woman holding a baby), circa 1900

My Friend Greg Died, Jon O'Neal (born 1957) — Jon O'Neal (born 1957)

My Friend Greg Died, 1985

Negro Sharecropper Family Working in Cotton Field, Georgia, Marion Post Wolcott (1910–1990) — Marion Post Wolcott (1910–1990)

Negro Sharecropper Family Working in Cotton Field, Georgia, circa 1938