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Helen Levitt Photography

American, 1913-2009

Helen Levitt often commented that the reason she expressed herself through photography was that she was inarticulate with the spoken word. One of the most celebrated photographers of the 20th century among her peers but least known by the public, from a young age she wanted to create art but knew her talents with a paintbrush or a charcoal pencil were limited. She discovered a way to artistically express herself — through the lens of a camera.

Levitt was born in Brooklyn, New York. At 18, she dropped out of high school to work in a portrait photographer’s darkroom — eventually trying her hand at photography. She trained herself to take better compositions by studying paintings in museums around New York and then using her mother’s friends as practice subjects. In 1936, after discovering the works of French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson she purchased her first camera and began to take pictures of neighborhood children making sidewalk chalk drawings.

Levitt took her portfolio to the studio of Walker Evans — another photographer which she admired. Struck by her thoughtful compositions and natural talent, he hired her as his assistant. She began photographing ordinary street life in the lower-class neighborhoods of East Harlem, the Lower East Side and the Garment District in New York City.

In 1939, Levitt’s photographs were published in Fortune magazine. Later that same year, she received a grant from the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Guggenheim Foundation. Seeing a similarity in film noir to what she was trying to capture in black and white photography, she became a film editor. She worked on several films including The Quiet One, an Academy Award nominee.

In 1959 Levitt began to photograph in color but eventually returned to black and white photography in the 1990s. A collection of her photographs of children and their chalk drawings were eventually published, in 1987, in a book called In the Street: Chalk Drawings and Messages. Some of her color photographs were published in Slide Show in 2005. 

On 1stDibs find original Helen Levitt black and white photography, portrait photography, color photography and more.

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Artist: Helen Levitt
New York (three kids with masks)
By Helen Levitt
Located in New York, NY
8 1/8 x 11 inch gelatin silver print, printed later. Titled and dated by the artist on verso as "N.Y. circa 1942." Helen Levitt was a true master of the street, one whose poetic vis...
Category

1940s Helen Levitt Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

New York City (striped socks)
By Helen Levitt
Located in New York, NY
12 x 8 inch type-c print, signed on verso. Helen Levitt was a true master of the street, one whose poetic vision, humor, and inventiveness transformed the gritty world of New York C...
Category

1990s Modern Helen Levitt Photography

Materials

C Print

New York (consoling woman)
By Helen Levitt
Located in New York, NY
11 x 14 inch gelatin silver print. Image size 7.25 x 10.75 inches. Signed on verso Helen Levitt was a true master of the street, one whose poetic vision, humor, and inventiveness tr...
Category

1930s Helen Levitt Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Children with Broken Mirror, New York
By Helen Levitt
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Signed and dated on verso Image 11" x 8", Paper 14" x 11", Matted 20" x 16"
Category

1940s Helen Levitt Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

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New York City (boys dancing)
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James Agee, King Street apartment
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James Agee
By Helen Levitt
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This is a mounted vintage silver gelatin print, from the James Agee Family Collection. Levitt and Agee were close friends, and over the years Levitt gifted ...
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James Agee
H 7.38 in W 9.38 in
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New York City (woman reaching out)
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New York City (broken mirror)
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Helen Levitt photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Helen Levitt photography available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Helen Levitt in silver gelatin print, c print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Helen Levitt photography, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Weegee, Garry Winogrand, and Lucienne Bloch. Helen Levitt photography prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,500 and tops out at $12,500, while the average work can sell for $8,500.
Questions About Helen Levitt Photography
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Helen Levitt mostly photographed street scenes. Specifically, she captured images of daily life in areas of New York City that were home to working-class families. Levitt was born in New York City in 1913 and died there in 2009. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Helen Levitt photographic art.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Helen Levitt photographed everyday scenes of life in working class neighborhoods located throughout New York, New York. Her work helped to establish street photography as an art form. You can find a range of Helen Levitt photographic art on 1stDibs.

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