Empire State Building
Lewis Hine American
Not on view
Hine took to great heights for this well-known photograph of a construction worker on the Empire State Building taking a break to enjoy a cigarette. Hine’s photograph juxtaposes the ordinary (a short break from work) with the extraordinary (the awe-inspiring view of the city). The recently completed Chrysler Building, whose height the Empire State Building eclipsed, appears prominently amid the haze in the middle distance as if already relegated to history.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
