“Step back to 1933 with this National Graflex Camera. It showcases the cutting-edge portable photography technology of its time, complete with accessories that reveal how photographers began to capture the world on the go.”
This National Graflex Camera, produced in 1933, is more than just a piece of equipment; it’s a portal to a specific moment in photographic history. Its compact, boxy form, complete with a carrying case and various attachments, reveals the evolving technology of the era. This model was designed for portability and ease of use, a significant step away from the cumbersome studio cameras of earlier decades. Holding it, or even just looking at it, you can imagine a photographer on the go, capturing everyday life or news events. The array of accessories, from the self-timer to the color filter, speaks to the aspirations of photographers to control their images and expand their creative possibilities, pushing the boundaries of what was possible with a handheld device.
- Artist
- Artist Unknown - The Mercat Cross, Aberdeen
- Date
- 1933
- Medium
- Camera, carrying case, manual, shutter release, self-timer, color filter, and copying attachment
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Collection
- Photography and Media
- Culture
- United States
- Credit line
- Dr. Oscar Sugar gift
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The camera’s compact, sturdy body, designed for portability.
The leather carrying case, showing signs of use and travel.
The included color filter, an early tool for manipulating light.
The self-timer, allowing the photographer to be in the shot.
1 more detail is waiting.
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Artist Unknown - The Mercat Cross, Aberdeen
This 'Artist Unknown' represents a vast collection of anonymous creators, whose works like 'Boston Common' and 'Self Portrait' offer glimpses into diverse historical periods and artistic practices.
Further Works by Aberdeen
Southern Barbarians
1625 · Art Institute of Chicago
Baskets with Flowers of the Four Seasons
1701 · Art Institute of Chicago
Flower Arrangements
1595 · Art Institute of Chicago
Sketchbook: Souvenir of Naples
1821 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Five Points
1822 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Side Chair
1750 · Art Institute of Chicago
Pair of Side Chairs
1770 · Art Institute of Chicago
Punch Bowl
1789 · Art Institute of Chicago
More works to explore
Beyond Aberdeen: works from the same years.
Same era · 1910s–1940s
Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray
Piet Mondrian · 1921 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
Nude
Ivan Puni · 1931 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
American Gothic
Okada Saburosuke · 1930 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
Straße mit Passanten bei Nachtbeleuchtung
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1927 · Museum Frieder Burda
Same era · 1910s–1940s
The Indestructibles
Philip Evergood · 1946 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
In the Magic Mirror
Paul Klee · 1934 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
The Eye
René Magritte · 1932 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
Untitled (Desert Landscape)
Salvador Dalí · 1934 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
Garden Airplane-Trap
Max Ernst · 1935 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
The Red Armchair
Pablo Picasso · 1931 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1910s–1940s
Two Women on the Shore
Edvard Munch · 1935 · Munch Museum
Same era · 1910s–1940s
American Gothic
Grant Wood · 1930 · Art Institute of Chicago