[Brooklyn Bridge]
When it opened for use on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world; it immediately became an essential subject for photographers working in or visiting New York City. Despite its iconic status, early, large-format views such as this one are rare. The level of detail (advertising billboards on the Manhattan shoreline are legible) in conjunction with the boats that have visibly moved during exposure, indicate the use of the slower, more traditional wet-plate negative instead of the faster dry-plate that was already available and would become the de facto process for late nineteenth-century commercial photography.
Artwork Details
- Title: [Brooklyn Bridge]
- Artist: Unknown (American)
- Date: ca. 1883
- Medium: Albumen silver print
- Dimensions: Image: 15 3/4 × 20 5/8 in. (40 × 52.4 cm)
- Classification: Photographs
- Credit Line: Purchase, Alfred Stieglitz Society Gifts, 2016
- Object Number: 2016.453
- Curatorial Department: Photographs
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.