An American Photo Album

By Elin Spring and Suzanne Révy

Howard Greenberg is in the house!  That is, one hundred and fifty of the 20^th century’s most enduring and endearing photographs are on the walls in Viewpoints: Photographs from the Howard Greenberg Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Culled from the recently acquired collection, the exhibit highlights not only the most significant social, cultural and political imagery by the era’s leading photographers, but reveals Greenberg’s expert eye, passionate heart and some truly remarkable stories behind the prints in the collection. The exhibit will be on view through December 15^th, 2019.

Powerhouse Mechanic by Lewis W. Hine (American, 1874–1940) 1924, Photograph, gelatin silver print, The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum Leonian Charitable Trust Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Kristen Gresh, Estrellita and Yousuf Karsh Senior Curator of Photographs, organized the exhibition into seven themed galleries that weave a historic journey through the triumphs and terrors of the last century.  The consolidating themes of Capturing Modernism; Picturing the City; Conflicts and Crises; Bearing Witness; Fleeting Moments; Defining Portraits; and Music, Fashion, and Celebrity feature period-defining, often unforgettable photographs by such masters as Berenice Abbott, Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Lewis Hine, Consuelo Kanaga, Dorothea Lange, Gordon Parks, and Edward Steichen. In other words, the best photographs we all remember, the ones that embody the meaning of icon.

Young girl in profile by Consuelo Kanaga (American, 1894–1978), 1948, Photograph, gelatin silver print, The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust © Estate of Consuelo Kanaga, Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

 Hallway, New York by Roy DeCarava (American, 1919-2009), 1953, Photograph, gelatin silver print, *The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust, (Installation photograph by Suzanne Révy).

Joanna by Saul Leiter (American 1923-2013), 1952, Photograph, gelatin silver Print, The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust, (Installation photograph by Suzanne Révy).

The exhibition opens with a gallery of Greenberg’s particular favorites, including the transcendent “Young Girl in Profile” by Consuelo Kanaga, Roy DeCarava’s eerily dark print of an urban apartment hallway, and a tousled, loosely tied ponytail in “Joanna” by Saul Leiter. Kanaga’s “Young Girl in Profile” is a profoundly empathetic portrait of an African American girl whose upturned head and pensive, faraway eyes encompass both the burdens of her ancestry and the youthful hope for a promising future. DeCarava’s dark hallway finds the melancholic pulse of barren, urban anonymity, while Saul Leiter’s sensual and loving glance at “Joanna” radiates pure joy. Throughout the exhibit, Greenberg’s anecdotes and Gresh’s salient details about specific prints offer insights that deepen our appreciation for the exceptional nature of this collection. It attests to Greenberg’s connoisseurship of the photographic medium. 

Lunchtime Atop the World’s Largest Building, Rockefeller Center, NYC 1932, Photograph, gelatin silver print, The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust (Installation photograph by Suzanne Révy)

Twentieth century prints are typically modest in size. The scale of these photographs has been thoughtfully mirrored by their presentation in intimate galleries that create both the space and ambience for contemplation. This adroit installation sets the stage for photography’s magic: people and events from the past surge into our present-day consciousness, recalling or recasting our perceptions of a momentous time. Legendary photographs such as Hamilton Wright’s staged “Lunchtime Atop the World’s Largest Building” remind us of the proud, industrious beginnings of the 20th century while Eddie Adams’ horrifying 1968 image of a Vietnamese execution is an indelible symbol of its violence.

South Vietnamese National Police Chief Brig. General Nguyen Ngoc Loan Executing a Viet Cong Officer by Eddie Adams (American 1933-2004) 1968, Photograph, gelatin silver print, *The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust, (Installation photograph by Suzanne Révy).

Installation view, Three Generations of Welsh Miners by W. Eugene Smith (American, 1918-1978), 1950, Photograph, Gelatin Silver print, The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust (Installation photograph by Suzanne Révy)

Installation view, Three Generations of Welsh Miners (verso) by W. Eugene Smith (American, 1918-1978) 1950Photograph, Gelatin Silver print, from the Time-Life Archive, The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust (Installation photograph by Suzanne Révy)

Another outstanding feature of “Viewpoints” is an altogether too rare consideration – the print.  With early training in darkroom technique, Greenberg recognized the importance of mastering the craft of printmaking.  Separate from the image itself, a print’s source, history and quality impact both its visual potency and its worth. Many of the prints on view are the only or best existing example of an image. In addition, we are offered a look at the markings on the reverse side of two press prints from the Time-Life Archive.  For example, the back (or verso) side of W. Eugene Smith’s “Three Generations of Welsh Miners” reveals a typical lifetime of editorial handling, with reproduction notes from the photography editors and archivists who managed the print. Such a glimpse into the fascinating hidden world of editorial and news photography demonstrates how the first draft of 20th century history was established in newspapers and magazines.

Pablo in Times Square by Robert Frank (American (born in Switzerland, 1924) 1953, Photograph, gelatin silver print, *The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum Leonian Charitable Trust*© Robert Frank; courtesy Pace MacGill Gallery, New York *Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Coltrane and Elvin Rudolph by Roy DeCarava (American, 1919–2009), 1960, Photograph, gelatin silver print *The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust *© 2019 Estate of Roy DeCarava. All rights reserved. *Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

“Viewpoints” is the quintessential American photo album of the 20^th century. Like our own family albums, the Greenberg Collection invites us to revisit many images we know and love. In the process, we recall and learn stories, stir memories and emotions, and sometimes even see things in a new light. “Viewpoints” traces the social, cultural, and political sweep of a remarkable era. From the depths of the Great Depression to the exhilarating groove of jazz greats to the glamour of celebrity and fashion, Greenberg’s exquisite anthology offers an opportunity to immerse ourselves in the images that have contributed to our personal and shared history.

Gloria Swanson by Edward Steichen (American, born in Luxembourg 1879–1973), 1924, Photograph, gelatin silver print *The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust *© 2019 The Estate of Edward Steichen / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
*Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

(Featured Image) Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California by Dorothea Lange (American, 1895–1965) 1936, Photograph, gelatin silver print, *The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum, Leonian Charitable Trust, *Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

To learn about how the MFA, Boston acquired the Howard Greenberg Collection, read our story here:

https://whatwillyouremember.com/the-howard-greenberg-collection-comes-to-mfa-boston/

For more information about the exhibit and associated programming, go to:

https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/viewpoints