Eleanor and Barbara, Chicago
Muses throughout his career, Callahan’s wife and daughter played, posed, and aged before his lens. With their attention to the physicality of light, however, Callahan’s photographs transcend mere family portraiture by calling attention to the simple beauty of life’s fleeting moments. "He just liked to take the pictures of me," Eleanor recalled in her nineties. "In every pose. Rain or shine. And whatever I was doing. If I was doing the dishes or if I was half asleep. And he knew that I never, never said no. I was always there for him. Because I knew that Harry would only do the right thing."
Eleanor Callahan died in February 2012 at the age of ninety-five.
Eleanor Callahan died in February 2012 at the age of ninety-five.
Artwork Details
- Title: Eleanor and Barbara, Chicago
- Artist: Harry Callahan (American, Detroit, Michigan 1912–1999 Atlanta, Georgia)
- Date: 1954, printed 1970s
- Medium: Gelatin silver print
- Dimensions: 22.8 x 22.1 cm (9 x 8 11/16 in.)
- Classification: Photographs
- Credit Line: Gift of Joyce and Robert Menschel, 1993
- Object Number: 1993.469.2
- Rights and Reproduction: © The Estate of Harry Callahan; Courtesy Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York
- Curatorial Department: Photographs
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Harry Callahan
ca. 1953
Harry Callahan
1956, printed 1970s
Harry Callahan
1974
Harry Callahan
1974
Harry Callahan
1953
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.