Main St., Ossining, New York, 1932 Possibly 1932 - 1974

Walker Evans made this gelatin silver print, titled Main St., Ossining, New York, in 1932. It's an intriguing image, not just for what it shows, but for what it suggests about American society during the Great Depression. Evans’ photograph captures a young couple in a car. Another car is passing them, suggesting a moment in time, or a slice of life. Made in 1932, this image comes at a time when America was in deep economic crisis. Yet, there is a feeling of stoicism that many associate with the era. The pair seem ordinary, like the main street they are on. It's a street in a small town in New York, a town that is close to the seat of finance on Wall Street. To understand this image more fully, we might consider publications such as local newspapers, town records, and even family histories to provide a richer understanding of the social dynamics at play in Ossining, New York, during the 1930s. This would give a sense of how the institutions of everyday life influenced the imagery and the cultural role of photography at the time.