Under the Coney Island Boardwalk
Bruce Davidson
American, born 1933
c. 1959
A black-and-white gelatin silver print that quietly documents a group of young people sheltering under the Coney Island boardwalk, made to reveal the private mood and camaraderie of postwar youth.
What strikes you is the close, low-angle intimacy—grainy, high-contrast tones wrapping faces and bodies in shadow so that a bare chest, a half-smile, and closed eyes read like a page of private life pressed into a cramped, theatrical space.
This image is part of Bruce Davidson’s immersive documentary practice that brought empathy and psychological depth to street photography, helping to recast social reportage as intimate, character-driven storytelling.
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
9 3/8 × 13 7/8" (23.6 × 35.1 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Purchase
Accession
453.1960
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
