DescriptionThis picture is a composite portrait of a slice of society. It represents the window display of an anonymous portrait photographer in the South during the Depression. He was evidently not much of an artist but was good at pinching pennies, eager for business, and proud of his trade. On each of his large negatives he managed to make fifteen individual portraits. He thought most exposures good enough to use in this advertising display but covered his occasional failures with more successful images cut from other contact sheets.

ProvenanceJohn C. Waddell, New York

Signatures, Inscriptions, and MarkingsInscriptions: Inscribed in blue ink on print, verso, top left: "Photograph By // Walker Evans"; top left: "[line UL to UR] Return to // Arthur Siegel // 2025 Mohawk // Chicago Ill"; top right: "Photographers Window // Birmingham, Ala."; inscribed in pencil on print, verso, center: "Ra 8097-A"; inscribed in pencil on print, verso, center: "33 wide [encircled]"; inscribed in pencil on print, verso, bottom center [sideways]: "Photographer's window // of penny portraits, // Birmingham, // Ala."; inscribed in pencil on print, verso, bottom center: "#5897 [underlined] // AMERICAN PHOTO MAG."; bottom right: "WEV.207.X"; stamped in ink on print, verso, bottom right [sideways]: "Kindly use the following credit line: // RESETTLEMENT ADMINISTRATION PHOTOGRAPH BY EVANS"