Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9

A. Aubrey Bodine
Five Fireman 1940s Mid Century WPA Era Modern Baltimore Black & White Photograph

c. 1940s

About the Item

Fine Fireman 1940s Mid Century WPA Era Modernism Baltimore Black & White Photograph. A. Aubrey Bodine (American, 1906-1970). Gelatin silver print, signed upper right, photographer stamp on verso, 11 x 14 in. In photographic circles around the world, A. Aubrey Bodine was regarded as one of the finest pictorialists of the twentieth century. His pictures were exhibited in hundreds of prestigious shows, in scores of museums, and he won awards against top competition. His photographs were seen in the Sunday Sun, numerous books and magazines, on calendars, as murals, and as framed prints decorating homes. Aubrey Bodine's photographic career began in 1923 when as an office boy with the Baltimore Sun he submitted photographs of the Thomas Viaduct at Relay to the editor of the Sunday paper, and they were published. From first to last Aubrey Bodine was a newspaperman covering all sorts of stories with his camera - news events, famous people, unusual places and curious activities. This gave him opportunities to travel throughout the region and learn about it in every tide, wind, weather and season. Out of this experience came remarkable documentary pictures of farming, oystering, hunting, soap boiling, blacksmithing, clock making, bricklaying and dozens of other occupations, and student nurses, Amish children, pilots of ships and planes, country folk and city folk, wood sheds and cathedrals, wagons and railroad engines, and, in short, almost everything of interest. Moreover, the documentary pictures are of the very finest quality, often artistic in design and lighting effects far beyond the usual standard of newspaper work. But Bodine's talent ran deeper than this, and so did his ambition. He submitted photographs to national and international salon competitions and consistently won top honors. Bodine believed that photography could be a creative discipline, and he studied the principles of art at the Maryland Institute College of Art. The camera and the dark room equipment were tools to him like the painter's brush or the sculptor's chisel. Bodine was a romantic pictorialist and this shows in his choice of subjects - the old times and the old things, the beauties of nature, man as an individual, and similar ideas. The pictures are usually quiet in mood partly because of the subdued tones and partly because of a low tension design made of open curves and natural perspective. Not the least of Bodine's artistic ability was his craftsmanship. He was always experimenting with his tools, but seldom made a mistake. Some of his best pictures were literally composed in the viewfinder of the camera. In other cases he worked on the negative with dyes and intensifiers, pencil marking, and even scraping to produce the effect he had in mind. He added clouds photographically, and made other even more elaborate manipulations. Bodine's rationale for all these technical alterations of the natural scene was simply that, like the painter, he worked from the model and selected those features which suited his sense of mood, proportion and design. The picture was the thing, not the manner of arriving at it. He did not take a picture, he made a picture.
  • Creator:
    A. Aubrey Bodine (1906 - 1970)
  • Creation Year:
    c. 1940s
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)Width: 21 in (53.34 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU115627568502
More From This SellerView All
  • Bette Midler Film Set Backstage Baby Daughter Vintage b&w Print Contemporary
    By Roddy McDowall 1
    Located in New York, NY
    Bette Midler Film Set Backstage Baby Daughter Vintage b&w Print Contemporary Roddy McDowall (British-American, 1928-1998)m "Bette Midler & Daughter Sop...
    Category

    1980s Photorealist Portrait Photography

    Materials

    Silver Gelatin

  • Tennessee Williams Vintage Mid 20th Century Broadway Theatre Gay Contemporary
    By Roddy McDowall 1
    Located in New York, NY
    Tennessee Williams Vintage Mid 20th Century Broadway Theatre Gay Contemporary Roddy McDowall (British American, 1928-1998) "Tennessee Williams," Vinta...
    Category

    1970s American Realist Portrait Photography

    Materials

    Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

  • NYC 1939 World's Fair 5 - 8 x 10 photographs Mid 20th Century WPA Architectural
    Located in New York, NY
    NYC 1939 World's Fair 5 - 8 x 10 photographs Mid 20th Century WPA Architectural Underwood and Underwood 1939 World’s Fair Photographs 8 x 10 inches each All five prints are stamped...
    Category

    1930s American Modern Landscape Photography

    Materials

    Silver Gelatin

  • Landscape American Hungarian European Modernism 1938 Realism Long Island WPA era
    By Stephen Csoka
    Located in New York, NY
    Landscape American Hungarian European Modernism 1938 Realism Long Island WPA era. The canvas measures 18” x 20". The artist signed the stretcher as well as the canvas. The scene depicts a spots in New York where Queens borders with Nassau county, Rosedale, which abuts the Five Towns. The border runs through Hook Creek, another painting we are currently offering. Stephen (Istvan) Csoka was born in Gárdony, Hungary on January 2, 1897 and died in New York in 1989. He is best remembered as a painter and etcher of portraits, nudes, landscapes, genre, and horses. Csoka studied at the Budapest Royal Academy of Art and his memberships include Associate of the National Academy of Design in New York City; the Society of American Etchers in Brooklyn, NY; the Society of Brooklyn Artists; and the Hungarian Etchers Association. Csoka's exhibitions and awards include a medal at the Barcelona International Exhibition in 1929; a prize at the City of Budapest Exhibit in 1930; prizes at the Society of American Etchers in 1942 and 1945; prizes at the Library of Congress in 1944 and 1946; a prize at the Society of Brooklyn Artists in 1944; a prize at the Philadelphia Watercolor Club in 1945; the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1945; the Carnegie Institute in 1943, 1944, and 1945; the Art Institute of Chicago in 1944; the Los Angeles Museum of Art in 1945; the National Academy of Design from 1940 through 1945; one-artist shows at the Contemporary Artists in 1940, 1943, and 1945; and the Minneapolis State Fair in 1943. *Stephen continued to recieve awards and exhibit his work throughout his life. In 1997, Hofstra Museum sponsored a Retrospective/Centennial exhibition in honor of his birth. Collections representing Csoka's work are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY; the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; the British Museum, London, England; the Bezalel National Museum, Jerusalem, Israel; the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio; Whistler House Museum of Art, Lowell, MA; the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH; Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH; the Sheldon Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, IN; the Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL; the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN; the Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, NM; the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary; Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest, Hungary, the Museum of the City of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary; the Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA; Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA; Hofstra Museum, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY; Holocaust Museum, Glen Cove, NY; National Academy of Art, New York, NY; New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA; New York Historical Society, New York, NY;New York Public Library, New York, NY; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Peabody Museum, Cambridge, MA; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA; Reading Public Museum, Reading, PA; Livingston Arts Center, Mount Morris, NY; Ball State Teachers College, Muncie, IN; City College, New York, NY; Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY; Hungarian Consulate, New York, NY; Hungarian Heritage, New Brunswick, NJ; Hunter College, New York, NY; IBM Collections; Princeton Print Club...
    Category

    1930s Realist Landscape Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • Hook Creek Hungarian American European Modernism WPA 1935 Long Island Canal Boat
    By Stephen Csoka
    Located in New York, NY
    Hook Creek Hungarian American European Modernism WPA 1935 Long Island Canal Boat Oil on canvas board 12” x 15". The framed size is 18 x 21. In addition to this painting, we will include and etching of this scene.. The Print measures 3 1/2 x 6 inches and the sheet, 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches. It is signed: S. Csoka, 1943. Stephen (Istvan) Csoka was born in Gárdony, Hungary on January 2, 1897 and died in New York in 1989. He is best remembered as a painter and etcher of portraits, nudes, landscapes, genre, and horses. Csoka studied at the Budapest Royal Academy of Art and his memberships include Associate of the National Academy of Design in New York City; the Society of American Etchers in Brooklyn, NY; the Society of Brooklyn Artists; and the Hungarian Etchers Association. Csoka's exhibitions and awards include a medal at the Barcelona International Exhibition in 1929; a prize at the City of Budapest Exhibit in 1930; prizes at the Society of American Etchers in 1942 and 1945; prizes at the Library of Congress in 1944 and 1946; a prize at the Society of Brooklyn Artists in 1944; a prize at the Philadelphia Watercolor Club in 1945; the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1945; the Carnegie Institute in 1943, 1944, and 1945; the Art Institute of Chicago in 1944; the Los Angeles Museum of Art in 1945; the National Academy of Design from 1940 through 1945; one-artist shows at the Contemporary Artists in 1940, 1943, and 1945; and the Minneapolis State Fair in 1943. *Stephen continued to recieve awards and exhibit his work throughout his life. In 1997, Hofstra Museum sponsored a Retrospective/Centennial exhibition in honor of his birth. Collections representing Csoka's work are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY; the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; the British Museum, London, England; the Bezalel National Museum, Jerusalem, Israel; the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio; Whistler House Museum of Art, Lowell, MA; the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH; Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH; the Sheldon Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute, IN; the Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL; the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN; the Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, NM; the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary; Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest, Hungary, the Museum of the City of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary; the Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA; Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, GA; Hofstra Museum, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY; Holocaust Museum, Glen Cove, NY; National Academy of Art, New York, NY; New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA; New York Historical Society, New York, NY;New York Public Library, New York, NY; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Peabody Museum, Cambridge, MA; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA; Reading Public Museum, Reading, PA; Livingston Arts Center, Mount Morris, NY; Ball State Teachers College, Muncie, IN; City College, New York, NY; Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY; Hungarian Consulate, New York, NY; Hungarian Heritage, New Brunswick, NJ; Hunter College, New York, NY; IBM Collections; Princeton Print Club...
    Category

    1930s Realist Landscape Paintings

    Materials

    Oil, Board

  • 1987 Tonys Awards Signed 8x10 Photo Broadway Legends Sondheim Fosse Verdon Simon
    Located in New York, NY
    1987 Tonys Awards Signed 8x10 Photo Broadway Legends Sondheim Fosse Verdon Simon 1987 Tony Awards photograph signed by 19 legends: Stephen Sondheim, Bob Fosse, August Wilson, Neil Simon Gwen Verdon, Mary Martin, Helen Hayes, Jerry Herman, Ann Miller, Rita Moreno, Bernadette Peters, Cy Coleman, Robert Altman, Tommy Tune...
    Category

    1980s Performance Color Photography

    Materials

    Photographic Paper

You May Also Like
  • Untitled (Lower West Side)
    By Milton Rogovin
    Located in Buffalo, NY
    An original gelatin silver print by American social documentary photographer Milton Rogovin depicting a resident of Buffalo's East Side in the early 1960's. This work is hand signed ...
    Category

    1970s Realist Black and White Photography

    Materials

    Silver Gelatin

  • Untitled (Lower West Side)
    By Milton Rogovin
    Located in Buffalo, NY
    An original gelatin silver print by American social documentary photographer Milton Rogovin depicting a resident of Buffalo's West Side in the early 1970's. This work is hand signed ...
    Category

    1970s Realist Black and White Photography

    Materials

    Silver Gelatin

  • Untitled (East Side Series)
    By Milton Rogovin
    Located in Buffalo, NY
    An original silver gelatin print from the 1960's by American social documentary photographer Milton Rogovin.
    Category

    1960s Realist Figurative Photography

    Materials

    Silver Gelatin

  • Kneeling Boy: black & white photo of Havana, Cuba w/ tree in arched doorway
    By Ron Tarver
    Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
    This black & white photograph of a child and a tree growing in an open courtyard of Havana, Cuba as seen through an arched doorway is part of artist Ron...
    Category

    Early 2000s Realist Figurative Photography

    Materials

    Silver Gelatin

  • Slim Aarons 'Patsy Pulitzer, Private Transport'
    By Slim Aarons
    Located in New York, NY
    Private Transport 1955 Fiber print Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate. Patsy Pulitzer rummaging in her bag on the se...
    Category

    1950s Realist Black and White Photography

    Materials

    Silver Gelatin

  • Photo Student, Teacher Lander School Budapest Vintage Silver Gelatin Photograph
    By Edward Serotta
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Edward Serotta Student and Teacher, The Lander School of Budapest. Judaica. silver gelatin print, matted, captioned by hand and hand signed and numbered. B/W photographs document...
    Category

    1990s Realist Black and White Photography

    Materials

    Silver Gelatin

Recently Viewed

View All