Man of Byberry

Artist Jerry Cooke (American, born Ukraine, 1921 - 2005)

Date1946

MediumGelatin silver print

DimensionsImage: 13 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches (34.29 x 26.67 cm)
Framed: 22 7/8 x 18 7/8 inches (58.1 x 47.94 cm)

Credit LineGift of Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Object number2005.27.3915

On View

Not on view

Collections

Photography

Terms

DescriptionVintage gelatin silver print, trimmed and mounted. Image of a man standing and facing a wall with his head lowered.Gallery Label

Gallery Label

Commissioned by Life magazine in early 1946 to photograph the deplorable state of American mental hospitals, Jerry Cooke made this image of a male patient at the dilapidated Byberry facility in Philadelphia. With great psychological insight, Cooke depicts the man’s slumped figure facing his shadowy reflection in a blank and abraded wall, as if to suggest a lost soul confronting his own ghost.

Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information, is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image, please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.