"Two Clowns" (aka circus clowns backstage, 1939, gelatin silver print by John Gutmann)
"Two Clowns" (aka circus clowns backstage, 1939, gelatin silver print by John Gutmann)
Before John Goodman there was... (:P)
John Gutmann (1905-1998)
Born in Breslau, Germany, Gutmann studied to be a painter under Otto Mueller before turning to photography shortly before he emigrated to the USA, where he became known for his vivid images of popular culture. Gutmann brought a foreigner’s view to the streets of California, where he saw with fresh eyes such astonishing (to him) phenomena as multiracial crowds, drive-in movies and restaurants, drum majorettes, car parks, golf links, beauty contests, tattoo parlors, and movie marquees.
He was fascinated by the status of the car as an American icon and photographed unusual license plates, decorated dashboards, decals, and hood ornaments. He also took a notable series of New York City in the 1940s. ...Gutmann's work has been published in major periodicals and is held by such collections as those of the Amon Carter in Fort Worth, San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art, and the Seagram Collection in New York.