Dorothea Lange

with '31a' in pencil and red pencil on the reverse, 1936

Acquired from PhotoWest Gallery, San Diego, 1990

This early print, trimmed to the image and on double-weight semi-glossy paper, is in generally very good to excellent condition. In high raking light, the following are visible under extremely close inspection: faint surface scuffs and scratches that do not break the emulsion; and a fingerprint in the lower right quadrant. The edges are rubbed with attendant tiny-to-small losses of emulsion.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Dorothea Lange took this photograph of two young boys at a squatters' camp on the American River near Sacramento, California, in November 1936.  Members of the great mass of impoverished migrant workers flooding California, the boys' family had settled in a makeshift dwelling at this unofficial campground that offered no amenities or infrastructure to support its growing population.  Lange's great talent as a photographer was her ability to capture the plight of people in desperate situations while at the same time preserving their dignity.  The two boys in this photograph regard Lange's camera unflinchingly, and their steady gazes reveal a flinty stubbornness beyond their years. 

Lange took a number of photographs of this family during her visit to this camp, and these show the ramshackle and unsanitary conditions in which they lived.  Less than a century before this photograph was taken, gold had been discovered at Sutter's Mill, further upstream on the American River, and this juxtaposition highlights the cyclical 'boom and bust' nature of California's history. 

At the time of this writing, no other early prints of this image have been located.  The title and date for this image come from the caption card for the nitrate negative of this image held by the Library of Congress.  The Resettlement Administration number for this image is 9918-E.