Wall Street, New York
Leonard Freed
American, 1929–2006
1956
Leonard Freed's gelatin silver print photographs three suited men on Wall Street from a low vantage, aiming to reveal the ritualized anonymity and power of mid‑century corporate life.
The image strikes you with its vertiginous low angle—skyscrapers and a bright sky towering above while steam, streetlamps, and three sharply dressed figures dominate the dark, high‑contrast foreground, giving the street a monumental, almost cinematic presence.
Rooted in postwar street and documentary photography, this work helped make visible the social rhythms of urban modernity and the character of American capitalism, using scale and perspective to influence how later photographers depicted city life.
Medium
Gelatin silver print, printed 1960s
Dimensions
14 3/16 × 9 7/16" (36 × 24 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Roger Strong in honor of Robert B. Menschel
Accession
350.2010
Palette
Exhibitions
