# Walker Evans

> American photographer and photojournalist (1903-1975)

**Wikidata**: [Q363308](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q363308)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_Evans)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/walker-evans

## Summary
Walker Evans was an American photographer and photojournalist renowned for his documentary-style images that captured the essence of 20th-century America. Born in 1903, he is celebrated for his work with the Farm Security Administration, which documented rural poverty during the Great Depression. His photographs, blending artistic precision with social commentary, have left a lasting impact on American visual culture.

## Biography
- **Born**: November 3, 1903
- **Nationality**: American (citizenship: United States)
- **Education**: Attended Phillips Academy, Andover; studied at Williams College
- **Known for**: Documentary photography of the Great Depression and American life
- **Employer(s)**: Farm Security Administration, Resettlement Administration
- **Field(s)**: Photography, photojournalism

## Contributions
- **Farm Security Administration (FSA) Photographs (1935–1938)**: Evans documented rural poverty and urban life under the FSA, producing iconic images like *Allie Mae Burroughs* (1936), which humanized the struggles of the era.
- **"American Photographs" Exhibition (1938)**: A landmark solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, establishing photography as a fine art.
- **Collaboration with James Agee**: Co-created *Let Us Now Praise Famous Men* (1941), a seminal work combining photography and literary narrative to portray Depression-era life.
- **Influence on Modern Photography**: His objective yet empathetic style inspired generations of photographers, including Robert Frank and Sherrie Levine.

## FAQs
**What was Walker Evans' most notable work?**  
His FSA photographs and the book *Let Us Now Praise Famous Men* (1941) are his most celebrated contributions, offering profound insights into 1930s America.

**Where did Walker Evans study?**  
He attended Phillips Academy in Andover and later studied at Williams College, though he did not graduate.

**What awards did Walker Evans receive?**  
He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, recognizing his artistic and documentary achievements.

**How did Walker Evans influence later artists?**  
His detached yet revealing style influenced photographers like Robert Frank and conceptual artists such as Sherrie Levine, who reappropriated his work in her series *After Walker Evans* (1981).

## Why They Matter
Walker Evans redefined documentary photography by merging aesthetic rigor with social critique. His images of the Great Depression era not only informed public policy but also elevated photography to the status of fine art. His legacy extends to contemporary artists and photojournalists who seek to balance objectivity with empathy in their work.

## Notable For
- **Guggenheim Fellowship**: Awarded for his contributions to photography.
- **Pioneering Photojournalism**: His FSA work set standards for documentary photography.
- **Museum of Modern Art Exhibition**: First solo photography exhibition at MoMA (1938).
- **Collaboration with James Agee**: Produced the influential *Let Us Now Praise Famous Men*.
- **Influence on Contemporary Art**: Inspired appropriation artists like Sherrie Levine.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Walker Evans was born on November 3, 1903, in St. Louis, Missouri. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and later enrolled at Williams College, though he did not graduate. His early life laid the foundation for his intellectual and artistic pursuits.

### Career
Evans began his career in the 1920s, experimenting with photography while working odd jobs. His big break came in 1935 when he joined the **Resettlement Administration** (later the **Farm Security Administration**), documenting rural poverty across the American South. His work for the FSA, including portraits of sharecroppers and industrial landscapes, showcased his unique blend of objectivity and humanity.

### Major Works
- **FSA Photographs (1935–1938)**: Evans' images, such as *Bud Fields and Family* (1936), captured the dignity and hardship of rural life, influencing New Deal policies.
- **"American Photographs" (1938)**: This MoMA exhibition validated photography as a fine art, featuring 100 of Evans' images that spanned urban and rural America.
- **"Let Us Now Praise Famous Men" (1941)**: Collaborating with writer James Agee, Evans produced a groundbreaking book that remains a classic of American documentary work.

### Style and Influence
Evans' style was characterized by his use of a square-format camera and his emphasis on detail, whether in the weathered face of a tenant farmer or the typography of a roadside sign. His approach inspired photographers like **Robert Frank**, whose *The Americans* (1958) echoed Evans' documentary ethos. Conceptual artist **Sherrie Levine** later rephotographed Evans' work, challenging notions of originality in art.

### Legacy
Evans' legacy is multifaceted: he shaped documentary photography, influenced social policy through his FSA work, and bridged the gap between photography and fine art. His images continue to resonate as historical documents and artistic masterpieces, ensuring his relevance in both cultural and academic contexts. Without Evans, the trajectory of American photography—and its role in social discourse—would be markedly different.

## References

1. Guggenheim Fellows database
2. Artnet
3. The Fine Art Archive
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. BnF authorities
6. Museum of Modern Art online collection
7. RKDartists
8. datos.bne.es
9. [Huizen van Afro-Amerikanen, buitenwijk van Tupolo, Mississippi](https://www.stedelijk.nl/nl/collectie/41157-walker-evans-huizen-van-afro-amerikanen-buitenwijk-van-tupolo-mississippi)
10. International Center of Photography
11. [Source](https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/evan/hd_evan.htm)
12. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
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18. [Source](https://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibitions/1999/the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-opens-walker-evans-archive-on-february-1)
19. [Source](https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/curatorial-departments/photographs)
20. Walker Evans. RKDartists
21. Walker Evans. Benezit Dictionary of Artists
22. SNAC
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25. Babelio
26. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
27. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
28. Great Norwegian Encyclopedia
29. Le Delarge
30. Evans, Walker
31. Proleksis Encyclopedia
32. Croatian Encyclopedia
33. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
34. Union List of Artist Names
35. [Source](https://www.documenta.de/en/retrospective/documenta_6)
36. [Source](https://www.documenta.de/en/retrospective/documenta_x)
37. CONOR.SI
38. [Source](https://lightcone.org/fr/cineastes-en-distribution)
39. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art online collection
40. [Source](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiarch.php)
41. LIBRIS. 2005
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43. [Source](https://www.crockerart.org/collections/american-art-before-1945?page=8)
44. [Source](https://www.crockerart.org/collections/photography/artworks/torn-poster-on-brick-wall-advertising-jc-lincolns-sunny-south-minstrels-al-1936)
45. Smithsonian American Art Museum person/institution ID
46. [Source](https://triarte.brynmawr.edu/artist-maker/info/22027)
47. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
48. [Source](https://pacscl.exlibrisgroup.com:48994/F/?func=find-b&request=000135096&find_code=SYS)
49. [Source](https://library.si.edu/art-and-artist-files)
50. [Source](https://lib.collegeforcreativestudies.edu/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=86192&query_desc=kw%2Cwrdl%3A%20Walker%20Evans)