This early exhibition print of Callahan’s silhouetted study of his wife Eleanor presents a very different interpretation of this well-known image. This print has a highly nuanced tonality, showing a range of dark grey and black tones against the warm white background. While the tones of Callahan’s later prints of this image were restricted to almost pure white and absolute black—highlighting the image’s graphic qualities—this print conveys a sculptural sense of volume, effects furthered by its comparatively large size.
The Museum of Modern Art label on the reverse of this print suggests that it was considered for Diogenes with a Camera, curator Edward Steichen’s exhibition series begun in 1952. While Callahan’s work was included in the very first Diogenes exhibition, it was not included in the series’ second outing referenced on its label, although it may have been considered for it. Another possibility is that it was included in MoMA’s 1962 exhibition Harry Callahan and Robert Frank, which Steichen had initially intended as another installment in the Diogenes series until Frank insisted on a different title.
The Masonite flush-mount is characteristic of MoMA’s exhibition presentation in the 1950s and 1960s, which gave the prints a three-dimensional presence on the wall not typically associated with photography.

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