David Smith with Upmann Cigar, Terminal Iron Works, Bolton Landing, New York
Dan Budnik
American, 1933–2020
1962
A gelatin silver print portrait in which the photographer seeks to capture an unguarded, intimate moment of a man absorbed in smoking a cigar, emphasizing character over pose.
The tight, cropped framing and deep tonal range make his furrowed brow, heavy eyelids, and the smoldering cigar feel immediate and tactile, as if we're witnessing a private pause.
Rooted in mid‑20th‑century documentary portraiture, the image humanizes its subject and helped broaden portrait photography toward informal, empathetic studies of makers and workers.
Medium
Gelatin silver print, printed 2012
Dimensions
11 15/16 × 8 1/16" (30.4 × 20.4 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of the artist in memory of Herman Cherry
Accession
1191.2012
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
