Couple at Coney Island, New York by Walker Evans (1928)

The photograph titled “Couple at Coney Island, New York” was taken by the artist Walker Evans in the year 1928. The black and white image captures a moment of an intimate and casual encounter between a man and a woman at the iconic leisure destination.

In the photograph, the couple stands close together, leaning against a railing with their backs to the camera. The man, dressed in a vest, white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, and striped pants, rests his arm around the woman. The woman, wearing a cloche hat and a patterned dress that falls to just below her knees, is leaning slightly into the man while looking out towards the sights of Coney Island.

Positioned in front of an ornately designed tower with a clock face, presumably part of the amusement park’s landscape, the couple seems engaged in a private moment despite the amusement park setting. A fishing rod rests against the railing beside them, suggesting a leisure activity. The ambiance of the scene and the attire of the characters evoke the spirit and fashion of the late 1920s, offering a glimpse into the social life and style of that era. The image’s composition, capturing the couple in a candid, unguarded moment, is characteristic of Evans’s documentary style, which often focused on the everyday lives of people.

Other Photographs from Walker Evans

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