About the Artwork
In 1955, Swiss-born photographer Robert Frank traveled across the United States photographing how Americans live, work, and spend their leisure time. Detroit was a critical stop on his itinerary, as the Motor City was world renowned for its automobiles along with its factories and labor force. Frank spent several days in Detroit at its legendary Ford Motor Company Rouge Plant and visited dime-store lunch counters, drive-ins, and public parks as well. He may have found Stetson-wearing spectators at a local rodeo an unlikely and uncharacteristic subject for Detroit—a large, industrial, midwestern city. Nonetheless he included Rodeo – Detroit, in addition to eight other photographs taken in the city, as part of the 83 images found in his ground-breaking photo book The Americans from 1958. The book brought Frank great acclaim for his critical commentary on America during the boom years following World War II. From Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts 89 (2015)
Rodeo - Detroit
1955, printed 1960s
Robert Frank
1924 - 2019
American
Unknown
Gelatin silver print
Image: 6 1/2 × 9 7/8 inches (16.5 × 25.1 cm) Sheet: 8 × 10 inches (20.3 × 25.4 cm)
Photographs
Prints, Drawings & Photographs
Museum Purchase, Ernest and Rosemarie Kanzler Foundation Fund, Forum for Prints, Drawings, and Photographs Purchase Fund, and General Art Purchase Fund
2008.49
© June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation
Markings
Signed, in black pen and ink, lower right: Robert Frank
Inscribed, in pencil, verso, upper right: RF.A.005.1 | 504.I
Provenance
until 2008, Robert Frank (New York, New York, USA)
2009-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)
For more information on provenance and its important function in the museum, please visit:
Provenance pageExhibition History
Please note: This section is empty
The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.
We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.
Suggest FeedbackPublished References
Frank, Robert. Les Americains. Paris, 1958, p. 19 (ill.).
Frank, Robert. The Americans. New York, 1978, p. 21 (ill.).
Frank, Robert, The Americans. Gottingen, Germany, 2008 (plate 5).
Greenough, Sarah and Stuart Alexander. Looking In: Robert Frank's The Americans. Washington D.C. 2009, p.215 (ill.).
Barr, Nancy. Detroit Experiences: Robert Frank Photographs. Exh. cat., Detroit Institue of Arts. Detroit, 2010, p. 3 (ill.).
Kindly share your feedback or any additional information, as this record is still a work in progress and may need further refinement.
Suggest FeedbackCatalogue Raisoneé
Please note: This section is empty
Credit Line for Reproduction
© June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation
Robert Frank, Rodeo - Detroit, 1955, printed 1960s, gelatin silver print. Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum Purchase, Ernest and Rosemarie Kanzler Foundation Fund, Forum for Prints, Drawings, and Photographs Purchase Fund, and General Art Purchase Fund, 2008.49.
Feedback
We regularly update our object record as new research and findings emerge, and we welcome your feedback for correction or improvement.
Suggest Feedback
