Ithaca-Policeman in Front of Fruit Stand

In the 1930s Arnold Newman began making black-and-white portraits of such notables as Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and John F. Kennedy, utilizing personal artifacts or specialized tools to convey his subjects’ personali-ties or professions. Newman took this rarely exhibited photograph of an African American policeman standing in front of a store window while he was on assignment for Life magazine in Ithaca, New York. In contrast to his iconic, highly constructed portraits, this picture exemplifies a more spontaneous approach in vivid color. Forgoing props, poses, and artificial lighting, Newman instead allowed the world to meet him halfway.