What is the Mona Lisa of photographs?

I’m just so funny that I forgot to laugh.

What about that picture with the guy in the unemployment line with the tin cup. I tried a google search using that description, but no luck. Anyone know what I am talking about?

There’s also a depression one with an unemployment line in front of a sunny billboard describing the American way of life. (Again, couldn’t find a link)

Here’s my submission. Like it or hate it, whether it makes you laugh or wonder, you can’t say that you don’t recognize this photograph.

[sub]Well, I guess you could, but I wouldn’t believe you.[/sub]

I would have to say this one is the real Mona Lisa of photographs. It’s about a third way down the page.

:smiley:

D & R

friend fenris,

i think you may be talking about the picture of ruby bridges thath was painted by norman rockwell. an interview with ms. bridges, and a picture of the painting can be found here and a framed print hangs in my hallway.

That’s certainly the event and it’s probably one of Rockwell’s most powerful pieces, but I’d swear there was a photo too. Different angle…the photo was taken from the front, and you saw Ms. Bridges (thanks for the name…I never knew it before!) in a 3/4ths or front shot…um, if you’ll excuse some bad ascii art, like this:


 | |   | |(*v*)
 | |   | |  "
 | |   | |(   )
 | |   | | ||||
(=)   (_)  O O

(the ET looking thing is supposed to be Ms. Bridges.)

Something like that, anyway, with more legs in front and behind

Anyway, thanks for the info!

Fenris

friend fenris,

you are most likely right, that there are photographs of that incident. i just walk past the rockwell print a few times a day ;o)

The Great Depression photo mentioned is by Margaret Bourke-White of Life Magazine, IIRC.

I would probably vote for the Steve McCurry photograph of the Afghan woman, or the iconic billowing skirt shot of Marilyn Monroe…that is, if we’re disregarding photojournalistic images such as Eddie Adam’s photo of the execution of a VC, or Joe Rosenthal’s raising of the flag on Iwo Jima.

Ya know, maybe even the cover to “Abbey Road” or some famous photograph of Elvis would also be a worthwhile contender…

I cannot believe this thread has gone on for two whole pages and no one has questioned the idiocy of this remark. Art historians, where art thou?

I don’t know whether we’re looking for most artistic or most readily recognized photo here, but if it’s the latter, I’d go for the photo of Anne Frank that usually appears on the “Diary of” cover (believe it was shot in 1942 and was a standard school photo.)

In about ten years, I would imagine that the side-on image of the fireball exploding from the Tower 2 of the World Trade Center will rank right up there.

When I read the OP the first picture that popped into my mind was the National Geographic Girl with te Green eyes.

That picture is hauntingly beautiful.
My next choice would be that man atop the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001.

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Kidding!

This photo is the very first photo I thought of when I read the topic. It is the photo I will forever associate with where I was standing when I heard this had happened.