Front / Recto

  • Title Photogram Lightbulb (Fotogramm Glühbirne)
  • Negative Date 1927
  • Print Date 1927–39
  • Medium Gelatin silver print
  • Dimensions Image 11 5/8 × 15 5/8" (29.6 × 39.7 cm)
  • Place Taken Berlin
  • Credit Line Thomas Walther Collection. Abbott-Levy Collection funds, by exchange
  • MoMA Accession Number 1737.2001
  • Copyright © 2015 / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Germany

Back / Verso

  • Mount Type No mount
  • Marks and Inscriptions Inscribed in pencil on sheet verso, left: 010 175. Inscribed in red pencil on sheet verso, left: 130 [crossed out]. Inscribed in blue ink on sheet verso, bottom left: Fotogramm Glühbirne. Inscribed in green pencil on sheet verso, bottom center: base 130.
  • Provenance The artist, Berlin; to the artist’s estate (the artist’s son, Konstantin Kesting), Birkenwerder, Germany [1]; to Galerie Berinson, Berlin, c. 1990 [2]; purchased by Thomas Walther; purchased by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2001.
    [1] MacGill/Walther 2001(3), p. 11.
    [2] Ibid.

Surface

  • Surface Sheen Semireflective
  • Techniques Photogram
  • PTM
    Detail view of the recto of the artwork made using reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) software, which exaggerates subtle surface details and renders the features of the artwork plainly visible. Department of Conservation, MoMA
  • Micro-raking
    Raking-light close-up image, as shot. Area of detail is 6.7 x 6.7 mm. Department of Conservation, MoMA
    Raking-light close-up image, processed. Processing included removal of color, equalization of the histogram, and sharpening, all designed to enhance visual comparison. Department of Conservation, MoMA

Paper Material

  • Format Metric
  • Weight Double weight
  • Thickness (mm) 0.27
  • UV Fluorescence Recto negative
    Verso negative
  • Fiber Analysis Softwood bleached soda 99%
    Hardwood bleached sulfite 2%
  • Material Techniques Developing-out paper
  • XRF

    This work was determined to be a gelatin silver print via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.

    The following elements have been positively identified in the work, through XRF readings taken from its recto and verso (or from the mount, where the verso was not accessible):

    • Recto: Si, P, S, Cl, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ag, Ba
    • Verso: Al, P, S, K, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ba

    The graphs below show XRF spectra for three areas on the print: two of the recto—from areas of maximum and minimum image density (Dmax and Dmin)—and one of the verso or mount. The background spectrum represents the contribution of the XRF instrument itself. The first graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the lower energy range (0 to 8 keV). The second graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the higher energy range (8 to 40 keV).

    Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
    Elements identified: Al, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Sr, Ag, Ba
    Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
    Elements identified: Zn, Sr, Ag

In Context

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