Who was Berenice Abbott?

Berenice Abbott (1898-1991) was an American photographer celebrated for her photographs of New York City in the 1930s and for preserving the works of Eugène Atget. Abbott's career included time in Paris, where she worked as a darkroom assistant to Man Ray and established her own photography studio, capturing portraits of prominent figures. Inspired by Atget's documentary work, she returned to New York in 1929 and began documenting the city's architecture, a project that became part of the Works Progress Administration. Abbott also taught photography at the New School for Social Research and explored photography as a means to illustrate scientific concepts. She spent her later years in Maine, focusing on printing her photographs.

What kind of photography was Berenice Abbott known for?

Berenice Abbott was renowned for her photography, particularly her documentation of New York City in the late 1930s. Inspired by Eugène Atget's work in Paris, she captured the city's changing architectural landscape in objective photographs. This endeavor evolved into a Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration in 1935, resulting in the publication of Changing New York in 1939. In addition to her work documenting New York, Abbott was also known for her portraits of expatriates, artists, writers, and aristocrats, including James Joyce, André Gide, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Cocteau, Max Ernst, Leo Stein, Peggy Guggenheim, and Edna St. Vincent Millay.

Why is Berenice Abbott important in the history of photography?

Berenice Abbott is an important figure in the history of photography for several reasons: she is best known for her photography documentation of New York City in the late 1930s and for her preservation of the works of Eugène Atget . After Atget’s death in 1927, Abbott saved his prints and negatives from destruction and dedicated herself to promoting his work. Her Atget collection was acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1968. Inspired by Atget’s documentation of Paris, Abbott systematically documented New York City’s changing architectural character in a series of objective photographs. Some were published in 1939 in the book Changing New York .

What famous city did Berenice Abbott photograph, and what was special about her work there?

Berenice Abbott is famous for her photographic documentation of New York City in the late 1930s. Inspired by Eugène Atget's documentation of Paris, Abbott systematically captured New York's changing architectural character in crisp, objective photographs. From 1935 to 1938, as part of the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration, she documented the rapid modernization of the city. Some of these photos were later published in her 1939 book, Changing New York .

How did Berenice Abbott’s style differ from other photographers of her time?

Berenice Abbott is best known for her photography documenting New York City in the late 1930s and for preserving the works of Eugène Atget. Inspired by Atget's documentary work in Paris, Abbott returned to New York City in 1929 and began photographing its rapid modernization. From 1935 to 1938, she systematically captured the city's changing architectural character in crisp, objective photographs. Some of these were published in her 1939 book, Changing New York .

What lasting impact has Berenice Abbott had on modern photography and city documentation?

Berenice Abbott is best known for her photography of New York City in the late 1930s and for preserving the works of Eugène Atget. Inspired by Atget's documentary work in Paris, Abbott systematically captured New York's changing architectural character in crisp, objective photographs. Some of her works were published in 1939 in the book Changing New York . Beyond her city documentation, Abbott experimented with photography to illustrate scientific phenomena and also photographed scenes along U.S. Route 1 from Florida to Maine. Abbott's work had a lasting impact on photography and city documentation, and she is on the list of women photographers who made significant contributions to photography.

Berenice Abbott

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Images

Abbott, Berenice: Broad Street looking toward Wall Street, Manhattan

Abbott, Berenice: Tri-boro Barber School, 264 Bowery, Manhattan

Black-and-white photo by Berenice Abbott showing three adults and three children posing on the stoop of 115 Jay Street, Brooklyn, with sunlight casting shadows on the steps.

Black and white photo by Berenice Abbott showing people gathered around street carts selling goods in front of shops and stoops on Hester Street, Manhattan.

Quick Facts

Born:: July 17, 1898, Springfield, Ohio, U.S.

Died:: December 9, 1991, Monson, Maine (aged 93)

Subjects Of Study:: Eugène Atget; photography

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Berenice Abbott

American photographer

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Top Questions

Who was Berenice Abbott?
Berenice Abbott (1898-1991) was an American photographer celebrated for her photographs of New York City in the 1930s and for preserving the works of Eugène Atget.

Abbott's career included time in Paris, where she worked as a darkroom assistant to Man Ray and established her own photography studio, capturing portraits of prominent figures. Inspired by Atget's documentary work, she returned to New York in 1929 and began documenting the city's architecture, a project that became part of the Works Progress Administration.

Abbott also taught photography at the New School for Social Research and explored photography as a means to illustrate scientific concepts. She spent her later years in Maine, focusing on printing her photographs.
1 Britannica Source
1. Berenice Abbott
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What kind of photography was Berenice Abbott known for?
Berenice Abbott was renowned for her photography, particularly her documentation of New York City in the late 1930s. Inspired by Eugène Atget's work in Paris, she captured the city's changing architectural landscape in objective photographs. This endeavor evolved into a Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration in 1935, resulting in the publication of Changing New York in 1939.

In addition to her work documenting New York, Abbott was also known for her portraits of expatriates, artists, writers, and aristocrats, including James Joyce, André Gide, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Cocteau, Max Ernst, Leo Stein, Peggy Guggenheim, and Edna St. Vincent Millay.
1 Britannica Source
1. Berenice Abbott
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why is Berenice Abbott important in the history of photography?
Berenice Abbott is an important figure in the history of photography for several reasons: she is best known for her photography documentation of New York City in the late 1930s and for her preservation of the works of Eugène Atget.

After Atget’s death in 1927, Abbott saved his prints and negatives from destruction and dedicated herself to promoting his work. Her Atget collection was acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1968.

Inspired by Atget’s documentation of Paris, Abbott systematically documented New York City’s changing architectural character in a series of objective photographs. Some were published in 1939 in the book Changing New York.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Berenice Abbott
2. list of women photographers
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What famous city did Berenice Abbott photograph, and what was special about her work there?
Berenice Abbott is famous for her photographic documentation of New York City in the late 1930s. Inspired by Eugène Atget's documentation of Paris, Abbott systematically captured New York's changing architectural character in crisp, objective photographs. From 1935 to 1938, as part of the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration, she documented the rapid modernization of the city. Some of these photos were later published in her 1939 book, Changing New York.
1 Britannica Source
1. Berenice Abbott
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did Berenice Abbott’s style differ from other photographers of her time?
Berenice Abbott is best known for her photography documenting New York City in the late 1930s and for preserving the works of Eugène Atget.

Inspired by Atget's documentary work in Paris, Abbott returned to New York City in 1929 and began photographing its rapid modernization. From 1935 to 1938, she systematically captured the city's changing architectural character in crisp, objective photographs. Some of these were published in her 1939 book, Changing New York.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Berenice Abbott
2. list of women photographers
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What lasting impact has Berenice Abbott had on modern photography and city documentation?
Berenice Abbott is best known for her photography of New York City in the late 1930s and for preserving the works of Eugène Atget. Inspired by Atget's documentary work in Paris, Abbott systematically captured New York's changing architectural character in crisp, objective photographs. Some of her works were published in 1939 in the book Changing New York.

Beyond her city documentation, Abbott experimented with photography to illustrate scientific phenomena and also photographed scenes along U.S. Route 1 from Florida to Maine. Abbott's work had a lasting impact on photography and city documentation, and she is on the list of women photographers who made significant contributions to photography.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Berenice Abbott
2. list of women photographers
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Berenice Abbott (born July 17, 1898, Springfield, Ohio, U.S.—died December 9, 1991, Monson, Maine) was a photographer best known for her photographic documentation of New York City in the late 1930s and for her preservation of the works of Eugène Atget.

Abbott studied briefly at the Ohio State University before moving in 1918 to New York City, where she explored sculpture and drawing on her own for four years. She continued these pursuits for a time in Berlin and then from 1923 to 1935 worked as a darkroom assistant to the American Dada and Surrealist artist Man Ray in Paris. In 1925 Abbott set up her own photography studio in Paris and made several well-known portraits of expatriates, artists, writers, and aristocrats, including James Joyce, André Gide, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Cocteau, Max Ernst, Leo Stein, Peggy Guggenheim, and Edna St. Vincent Millay. During this period she came into contact with the French photographer Eugène Atget, whose documentary work was at that time little known outside of Paris. After Atget’s death in 1927, Abbott retrieved his prints and negatives, saving them from destruction; in the following years she dedicated herself to promoting his work. (Her Atget collection was acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1968.)

Berenice Abbott: Jay Street, No. 115, Brooklyn — Berenice Abbott: *Jay Street, No. 115, BrooklynJay Street, No. 115, Brooklyn*, photograph by Berenice Abbott, 1936.

Berenice Abbott: Hester Street, between Allen and Orchard Streets, Manhattan — Berenice Abbott: *Hester Street, between Allen and Orchard Streets, ManhattanHester Street, between Allen and Orchard Streets, Manhattan*, photograph by Berenice Abbott, 1938.

Abbott returned to New York City in 1929 and was struck by its rapid modernization. Continuing to do portraits, she also began to document the city itself, no doubt inspired by Atget’s documentation of Paris. This project evolved into a Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration in 1935. For about three years she continued to document systematically the city’s changing architectural character in a series of crisp, objective photographs, some of which were published in 1939 in the book Changing New York (reissued as New York in the Thirties, 1973). During this period she was also on the advisory board of the Photo League (1936–52), an organization of photographers interested in capturing urban life.

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Over the course of the next two decades Abbott taught photography at the New School for Social Research (now the New School) in New York and experimented with photography as a tool to illustrate scientific phenomena, such as magnetism and motion, for a mass audience. She also continued to document the landscape around her; for one project she photographed scenes along U.S. Route 1 from Florida to Maine. In 1968 she settled in Maine, where she concentrated on printing her work.

Among Abbott’s books are Guide to Better Photography (1941), The View Camera Made Simple (1948), Greenwich Village Today and Yesterday (1949), The World of Atget (1964), A Portrait of Maine (1968), and Berenice Abbott: Photographs (1970).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Berenice Abbott

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