Words on pictures: Romana Javitz and the New York Public Library's Picture Collection

Uittreksel

"In the pre-digital era, the age of mechanical reproduction, the New York Public Library's Picture Collection provided the free circulation of prints, photographs, postcards and other clippings to its constituency of artists, illustrators, advertisers, and businessmen. Since its initial beginnings in 1914 the Picture Collection has been a unique public service for New York City's thriving educational, cultural and commercial enterprises, both as a muse and as a critical resource. The story of the Picture Collection is also the story of Romana Javitz (1903-1980) who headed the Picture Collection from 1929 to 1968. Words on Pictures presents previously unpublished writings and interviews by Javitz, revealing her remarkable understanding of the social impact of print and film media, especially photography and motion pictures. It is through Javitz's words that we can witness history over the decades, as it happened. Ruth Reeves and Diego Rivera borrowing pictures for their respective commissions at Rockefeller Center; Roy Stryker, sending FSA photographs to the Collection as they are being generated directly in the field; Military planners commandeering its geography files during WWII. Ben Shahn, Joseph Cornell and Andy Warhol browsing its picture stock, looking for inspiration. By 1937 circulation reached up to almost a million pictures per year. In a Google 'images' world we can all relate to ready access of pictures and video of all kinds. But we could also use a bit of historical perspective in navigating our image-immersed lives. Words on Pictures serves up solid primary research metrics and analysis by a woman who made it happen. For today's students, teachers and historians, whether you are in the social sciences, design, photography, or the arts, this book is a must have"--Provided by publisher.

Inhoud

On pictures in a public library -- Annual reports, 1929-1939 -- Origins of the Index of American Design -- The organization of pictures as documents -- Words on pictures -- Annual reports, 1940-1953 -- Romana Javitz interviews Sol Libsohn, 1958 -- Robert Yampolsky interviews Romana Javitz, ca. 1964 -- Richard Doud interviews Romana Javitz -- Appendix I: Picture Collection online with links to respective digital collections and a compendium of Picture Collection holdings transferred to the NYPL research libraries -- Appendix II: NYPL staff news announcements regarding the Picture Collection, 1915-1962; and a chronology of newspaper and magazine coverage of the Picture Collection, 1916-2016.