William Burroughs, Writer, New York City

Artist Richard Avedon (American, 1923 - 2004)

Date1975

MediumGelatin silver print

DimensionsImage: 9 5/8 × 7 11/16 inches (24.45 × 19.53 cm)
Sheet: 9 15/16 × 7 15/16 inches (25.24 × 20.16 cm)

Credit LineGift of Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Object number2005.27.657

InscribedSignature Signed in artist's hand Back of Print Copyright Back of Print Description: Reproduction limitations. Stamp Back of Print Description: Various stamps and copyrights on back of print.

Edition/State/Proofed. 1/50

On View

Not on view

Collections

Photography

Terms

DescriptionImage of a man, WIlliam Burroughs, with his body partially cropped along the left edge of the frame. He is wearing a light-colored suit and a dark tie.Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Twentieth-Century Photographers: Selections from the HPC. Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, OH, March 28 - April 27, 1996, no cat.

In the Public Eye: Photography and Fame. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, March 8 - June 15, 2008, no cat.

Gallery Label

Richard Avedon started his career working for Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. A photographer who became a celebrity in his own right, Avedon’s portraits are typically precise and minimalist: the subject stands in front of a plain white backdrop, facing the camera directly. This photograph of avant-garde writer William Burroughs records scarcely more than half of Burroughs’s figure, perhaps alluding to the reclusive nature of this notorious and influential literary icon.

Provenance

Hallmark Cards, Inc., Kansas City, MO, 1986;
Given by Hallmark Cards, Inc. to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 2005.

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.