Blind Woman, New York, Paul Strand; Richard Benson

Episode 128, Episode 129 Dec-2007, Ellen Cordero Raimond I’m David Cateforis with another Art Minute from the Spencer Museum of Art. In a startlingly direct black-and-white photograph, a dark-clad aging woman with a fleshy face wears a sign announcing her infirmity to passers-by. Emblazoned in bold, black capital letters is a single word, BLIND. Above the woman’s sign is a badge bearing a number - her peddler’s license. One cloudy eye stares out unseeingly toward the viewer, while the other gazes disconcertingly leftward, toward a rough unyielding stone wall. Taken in New York in 1916, this powerfully frank image of a blind newspaper seller is a famous product of American photographer Paul Strand’s interest in creating objective records of people from everyday life. Through his use of specially fitted cameras (initially with a side-mounted objective, and later with a prism lens), Strand was able to depict individuals “without their being aware of it” - though in the case of the blind woman, no such special measures were necessary. You can view this photograph in the Spencer Print Room on Fridays from 10:00- noon and 1:00-4:00, or by appointment. With thanks to Ellen Cordero Raimond for her text, from the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David Cateforis. View in Print Room In a startlingly direct black-and-white photograph, a dark-clad aging woman with a fleshy face wears a sign announcing her infirmity to passers-by. Emblazoned in bold, black capital letters is a single word, BLIND. Above the woman’s sign is a badge bearing a number - her peddler’s license. One cloudy eye stares out unseeingly toward the viewer, while the other gazes disconcertingly leftward, toward a rough unyielding stone wall. Taken in New York in 1916, this powerfully frank image of a blind newspaper seller is a famous product of American photographer Paul Strand’s interest in creating objective records of people from everyday life. Through his use of specially fitted cameras (initially with a side-mounted objective, and later with a prism lens), Strand was able to depict individuals “without their being aware of it” - though in the case of the blind woman, no such special measures were necessary. You can view this photograph in the Spencer Print Room on Fridays from 10-noon and 1-4, or by appointment. With thanks to Ellen Cordero Raimond for her text, from the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David