Cloisters--New York City no number 1955

Robert Frank made this photographic contact sheet, "Cloisters—New York City," using a 35mm Leica camera. It's a document of the medieval art collection in upper Manhattan. The Cloisters was opened in 1938 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Financed by John D. Rockefeller, the museum showcases medieval European architecture and art. Frank’s contact sheet presents a collection of fragmented images that focus on stone sculptures and crosses. These symbols offer insights into Christian beliefs, practices, and its institutional influence. Frank’s photographic style stands out. His work from this period often challenges established norms in photography through its use of unconventional angles and grainy images. He presents a more fragmented, personal view of the museum experience. Understanding the social role of museums like The Cloisters, and how artists like Frank interact with them, requires studying institutional records and artistic manifestos. Only then can we fully appreciate the complex layers of meaning in this work.