Details at the Foot of the Washington Monument 1975

"Details at the Foot of the Washington Monument" is a 1975 photograph by Robert Cumming. The photograph is comprised of two images, a close-up of the Washington Monument’s base and a more distant view showing people surrounding the monument. A shadow cast by the monument on the ground in the left image, creates a silhouette of a figure, while the right image captures a crowd of people against the monument’s vast scale. Cumming's work explores the relationship between photography and reality, often using found images or manipulating them to challenge traditional photographic practices. This photograph exemplifies this approach, inviting viewers to consider the way the monument is represented and experienced in both photographs and reality.