Skip to Main Content

The human pincushion at a carnival in his silk shirt, N.J., 1961

1961
(American, 1923–1971)
America, 20th century
gelatin silver print
Image: 28.4 x 19.2 cm (11 3/16 x 7 9/16 in.); Paper: 35.3 x 27.9 cm (13 7/8 x 11 in.); Matted: 50.8 x 40.6 cm (20 x 16 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Mann 1987.179
© 1961 Estate of Diane Arbus
Location: not on view
This artwork is known to be under copyright.

Download, Print and Share

Description

Diane Arbus was attracted to the bizarre aspects of human existence. She documented the underside of contemporary life, but always allowed her subjects—usually considered too strange and disturbing for mainstream society—to retain their dignity. Created intuitively, her images were also revelations of the intimate relationship between photographer and subject. Arbus was exceptionally sensitive to nuances of expression and gesture. In this image she captured the intensity of the sitter's gaze as he looks toward the camera.
The human pincushion at a carnival in his silk shirt, N.J., 1961

The human pincushion at a carnival in his silk shirt, N.J., 1961

1961

Diane Arbus

(American, 1923–1971)
America, 20th century

See Also

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.