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Jacob August Riis

Jacob August Riis

American, born Denmark. 1849–1914

MoMA.org ↗ Wikidata ↗

Jacob August Riis was a Danish-American social reformer, "muck-raking" journalist, and social documentary photographer. He contributed significantly to the cause of urban reform in the United States of America at the turn of the twentieth century. He is known for using his photographic and journalistic talents to help the impoverished in New York City; those impoverished New Yorkers were the subject of most of his prolific writings and photography.

Source: Wikipedia

Works in Collection

22 works
"I Scrubs" - Katie, Who Keeps House on West Forty-Ninth Street

"I Scrubs" - Katie, Who Keeps House on West Forty-Ninth S...

Jacob August Riis

1890

Ancient Lodger, Eldridge Street Police Station

Ancient Lodger, Eldridge Street Police Station

Jacob August Riis

1890

Bandits' Roost, 59 1/2 Mulberry Street

Bandits' Roost, 59 1/2 Mulberry Street

Jacob August Riis

1888

Blind Beggar

Blind Beggar

Jacob August Riis

1888

Bohemian Cigarmakers at Work in Their Tenement

Bohemian Cigarmakers at Work in Their Tenement

Jacob August Riis

1889

East Side Public School. A Class in the Condemned Essex Market School. Gas burning by day

East Side Public School. A Class in the Condemned Essex M...

Jacob August Riis

1888-95

In Poverty Gap, West 28th Street: An English Coal-heaver's Home

In Poverty Gap, West 28th Street: An English Coal-heaver'...

Jacob August Riis

1889

In a Dive

In a Dive

Jacob August Riis

1895

Lodgers in Bayard Street Tenement, Five Cents a Spot

Lodgers in Bayard Street Tenement, Five Cents a Spot

Jacob August Riis

1889

Minding the Baby. Scene in Gotham Court

Minding the Baby. Scene in Gotham Court

Jacob August Riis

1889

Police Station Lodgers in Elizabeth Street Station

Police Station Lodgers in Elizabeth Street Station

Jacob August Riis

1888-95

Police Station Lodgers in Oak Street Station

Police Station Lodgers in Oak Street Station

Jacob August Riis

1890

Prayer Time in the Nursery, Five Points House of Industry

Prayer Time in the Nursery, Five Points House of Industry

Jacob August Riis

1889

Reporter Office at 301 Mulberry Street

Reporter Office at 301 Mulberry Street

Jacob August Riis

1888

Sabbath Eve in a Coal Celler, Ludlow Street

Sabbath Eve in a Coal Celler, Ludlow Street

Jacob August Riis

1888-1895

Shoemaker, Broome Street

Shoemaker, Broome Street

Jacob August Riis

1888-1895

Talmud School in a Hester Street Tenement

Talmud School in a Hester Street Tenement

Jacob August Riis

1888-95

The Bend

The Bend

Jacob August Riis

1889

The Man Slept in This Cellar for Four Years

The Man Slept in This Cellar for Four Years

Jacob August Riis

1890

The Short Tail Gang. Corlears Hook under the Pier at the foot of Jackson Street

The Short Tail Gang. Corlears Hook under the Pier at the ...

Jacob August Riis

1889

The Street, their Playground

The Street, their Playground

Jacob August Riis

1888-1895

Women in Elizabeth Police Street Station

Women in Elizabeth Police Street Station

Jacob August Riis

1890

Exhibitions

11 exhibitions

Feb 08, 1949 – May 01, 1949

The Exact Instant

200 artists · 2 curators

Aug 05, 1952 – Aug 18, 1952

Then and Now

54 artists · 1 curator

Nov 27, 1957 – Apr 15, 1958

70 Photographers Look at New York

74 artists · 2 curators

Nov 26, 1958 – Jan 18, 1959

Photographs from the Museum Collection

273 artists · 1 curator

Nov 18, 1959 – Nov 29, 1959

30th Anniversary Special Installation - Towards the "New" Museum

140 artists

Apr 03, 1962 – May 15, 1962

50 Photographs by 50 Photographers

50 artists · 1 curator

May 27, 1964

Edward Steichen Photography Center

130 artists · 1 curator

May 27, 1964 – Aug 23, 1964

The Photographer's Eye

105 artists · 1 curator

Oct 25, 1967

Steichen Gallery Reinstallation

77 artists

Apr 03, 1968 – Jul 28, 1968

Photographs Before Surrealism

22 artists

Jul 01, 1971 – Sep 27, 1971

The Artist as Adversary

140 artists · 1 curator