Marmon Crankshaft
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Marmon Crankshaft” now? Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Chicago, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
One of the most acclaimed commercial photographers of the early 20th century, Paul Outerbridge is best known for the acute formalism of his photographs. He made this image of a crankshaft for an advertisement for the Marmon Motor Car Company, whose cars were known at the time both for advanced engineering and high style. Here Outerbridge combined the two; far from describing function, the photograph emphasizes the sculptural nature of new machinery and embodies his approach of using “photography purely as a means toward raising advertising to a higher artistic level.” Outerbridge moved easily between the worlds of commerce and art, exhibiting regularly in galleries starting in 1923. Avant-garde dealer Julien Levy, from whose collection this photograph came, exhibited his work in 1932.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 1975.1144
In the catalog
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — © the artist or rights holder
