Other People’s Pictures

This exhibition includes a selection from a gift of more than 500 small black-and-white photographs, mostly from the early- and mid-twentieth century, donated by Peter J. Cohen. Mr. Cohen has amassed more than 35,000 amateur photographs culled from antique shops, flea markets, private dealers, and on-line sources. Most of the photographs are anonymous and capture moments in the lives of ordinary people, often depicting celebrations, vacations, and gatherings of family and friends. Individual images were chosen for their eclectic, idiosyncratic, sometimes humorous nature as well as for their subject matter, with a particular focus on the lives and activities of women.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.