Lewis W. Hine

oversized, mounted, signed in ink and with a typed credit and caption label on the mount, framed, 1905, probably printed in the 1920s-30s

America and Lewis Hine (Millerton, 1977), p. 30 

Karl Steinorth, ed., Lewis Hine: Passionate Journey, Photographs 1905-1937 (Rochester: George Eastman House, 1996), p. 36 (full negative)

This print's impressive size and large mount are characteristic of those Hine used for exhibition. The George Eastman House identifies no fewer than 12 lifetime exhibitions of Hine's work between 1915 and 1939. This photograph is on double-weight paper with a surface sheen. It is essentially in excellent condition, with faint age-appropriate silvering in the dark areas at the image periphery. When the print is examined very closely, the photographer's original retouching is visible, some of which appears to have lightened with age. In raking light, a few tiny impressions and scratches are visible overall, none of which appears to break the emulsion. Near the upper right corner, there is a small swipe, or possibly a clear deposit of indeterminate nature. A faint crescent-shaped crease is visible near the lower right edge of the print when the photograph is examined in raking light, and was either present in the print prior to mounting, or occurred during mounting. The print is mounted to thick board, which has darkened and become soiled and brittle with age. The typed caption label reads: 'Immigrants, Ellis Island. Photo by Lewis W. Hine. Open flash exposure using flash powder, 1905.'
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