Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.

Untitled

Ralph Eugene Meatyard American

Not on view

An optician with a passion for literature, jazz, and Zen philosophy, Ralph Eugene Meatyard purchased his first camera in 1950 to photograph his newborn child. He soon became a convert to the medium, a dedicated amateur who eventually won a national following among curators and poets. Ironically, considering his chosen trade, Meatyard was recognized early in his too short life for his No-Focus photographs such as this one of a figure with arms akimbo. He described the visual ambiguity and the struggle viewers have trying to bring these images into focus, as "a coming and going, a glance, the touch of a hand, a growing and a dissolving—whispers and shouts."

Untitled, Ralph Eugene Meatyard (American, 1925–1972), Gelatin silver print

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.