New York, c. 1940
Vintage gelatin silver print
Print/image size: 6 ½ × 5 ¼ inches
Period mount: 13 × 12 ⅜ inches
Signed, titled, and inscribed "1 of 2" on verso
October 26, 2026
Helen Levitt had a great gift for capturing the essence of people via body language, and this double portrait is a study in opposites. The man on the left is fully committed to playing the part of a cigar-chomping tough guy, striking an unyielding pose with his arms crossed, chin jutting, and gaze averted. In contrast, the woman directs her eyes toward Levitt's camera, her shoulders hunched, and her brow furrowed in an expression of plaintive uncertainty. Levitt identifies the bond between these two people, different as they are, by capturing the woman's head resting on the man's tensed shoulder. This vintage print is a classic example of Helen Levitt's use of sidewalks and stoops as a stage for her art.
