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Nat Fein
"Babe Bows Out" Nat Fein, Baseball, Babe Ruth, Sports Photography, American

1948

$9,000
£6,786.04
€7,819.96
CA$12,485.43
A$13,989.86
CHF 7,282.26
MX$171,144.43
NOK 92,434.75
SEK 87,303.52
DKK 58,377.64
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About the Item

Nat Fein Babe Bows Out, 1948 Signed lower right Gelatin silver print on paper Image size: 16 x 20 inches Mat size: 22 1/2 x 24 3/4 inches Nat Fein (1914–2000) was a prominent American press photographer whose bold work shaped mid-century photojournalism in New York. Raised on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, he began his career at the New York Herald Tribune as a copyboy in 1932. After several years of self-education in photography and acquiring his first camera, he became a staff photographer, a role he would hold for over thirty years. Fein’s most famous photograph, “Babe Bows Out,” captures baseball icon Babe Ruth resting on home-plate at Yankee Stadium during his last public appearance. This image earned Fein the Pulitzer Prize for Photography in 1949 and is a lasting symbol of American sports history. Beyond this renowned shot, he was recognized for his willingness to scale scaffolding and reach across rooftops to achieve the ideal viewpoint—always embracing physical challenges to seize a captivating moment. Throughout his career, Fein documented a transforming New York City and its prominent individuals. His work included scenes of postwar revitalization in Brooklyn, as well as portraits of Albert Einstein, President Harry Truman, Queen Elizabeth II, Marilyn Monroe, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Preferring natural light and spontaneous setups, he infused a sense of immediacy and connection into both intimate narratives and major public occasions. Celebrated as one of the most lauded press photographers of the twentieth century, Fein played a crucial role in elevating newspaper photography to an artistic level. His collection—partly preserved by the Library of Congress—continues to support exhibitions that delve into the convergence of journalism, art, and urban life.
  • Creator:
    Nat Fein (1914 - 2000, American)
  • Creation Year:
    1948
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 23.75 in (60.33 cm)Width: 26 in (66.04 cm)
  • More Editions & Sizes:
    Unique WorkPrice: $9,000
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1841216649442

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