Hell's Kitchen with Sebastopol c. 1890

Jacob Riis captured the scene in "Hell's Kitchen with Sebastopol" using photography, a medium that was becoming increasingly important for social documentation. This image presents a stark view of urban poverty in late 19th-century New York. Riis’s work exposes the immense social disparities of the time, reflecting the squalid conditions in which many immigrants lived. The choice of the name Sebastopol is in itself a cultural reference, alluding to a place of conflict and ruin during the Crimean War. Riis aimed to shock middle-class audiences and instigate social reform. He actively used photographs as evidence to persuade city officials and philanthropists to address housing and sanitation issues. His work became a vital tool for urban reform movements. Understanding this image necessitates delving into the period's social reform movements, tenement housing laws, and the evolving role of photography in shaping public perception. Riis’s photographs serve as crucial historical documents, prompting ongoing dialogues about urban planning, social responsibility, and the ethics of representation.