Artwork Page for Neu-Birnau

Details / Information for Neu-Birnau

Neu-Birnau

1929

Ilse Bing

(American, 1899–1998)
Culture
America
Medium
gelatin silver print
Measurements
Image: 16.2 x 12.2 cm (6 3/8 x 4 13/16 in.); Paper: 17.8 x 13 cm (7 x 5 1/8 in.); Matted: 45.7 x 35.6 cm (18 x 14 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of George Stephanopoulos 2011.229
Copyright
© Estate of Ilse Bing
This artwork is known to be under copyright.
Location
Not on view
Print

Description

This entryway is part of Neu-Birnau, a small pilgrimage church built in 1745–51 on the Austrian shore of Lake Constance. The dramatic framing of the water through the door and the print’s soft focus and warm tones mimic the aesthetic of Pictorialism, a turn-of-the-20th-century photographic style that argued for the acceptance of photography as a fine art. By 1929 that style had been superseded in fine art photography circles by the modernist aesthetic, which called for sharp focus, geometric compositions, and a more neutral, gray palette.
A vertically oriented, sepia-toned photograph depicts a view through an arched stone doorway. To our left, an open door features elaborate carvings and a metal handle. A small bulb hangs from the archway. The warm light highlights the threshold, where a lone tree stands near a fence on a flat expanse. In the background, a body of water extends toward a distant shore under a light, hazy sky.

Neu-Birnau

1929

Ilse Bing

(American, 1899–1998)
America

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

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 fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork