Diane Arbus (American, 1923-1971) Portrait of Hope Greer Eisenman

Diane Arbus (American, 1923-1971)

Portrait of Hope Greer Eisenman, c. 1943-44. Unsigned. Gelatin silver print, image/sheet size 4 9/16 x 6 11/16 in. (11.4 x 16.8 cm), matted, unframed.
Condition: Scattered subtle surface scratches, minor wear at edges and corners, discoloration, probably from drymounting tissue, on the verso.

Provenance: By descent through the family of Hope Greer Eisenman.

N.B. Hope Greer met Diane Nemerov while dating her brother Howard in New York City. Later, she ran into Diane, who had married Allan Arbus, at Fort Monmouth in New Jersey, where Arbus and Hope's husband Alvin Eisenman were members of the Army Signal Corps. The two became good friends, and Diane occasionally babysat for Hope's daughter. Hope always told her family that Diane was particularly interested in photographing whales washed up on the beach. She took this portrait of Hope Greer Eisenman during that period.

Diane Arbus's early work was the subject of a 2016 exhibition at the Met Breuer in New York City.