Front / Recto

  • Title Assembling a Hydro-Generator at the Farkhad Power Station
  • Negative Date 1947
  • Print Date 1947–50
  • Medium Gelatin silver print
  • Dimensions Image 11 x 7 13/16" (28 x 19.8 cm)
  • Place Taken Sirdaryo
  • Credit Line Thomas Walther Collection. Gift of Marion C. Howe and Mr. Allan S. Chait, in memory of Ralph M. Chait, and the Farm Security Administration, by exchange
  • MoMA Accession Number 1804.2001
  • Copyright © 2015 Maxime Penson

Back / Verso

  • Mount Type No mount
  • Marks and Inscriptions Inscribed in pencil on sheet verso, top center: монтаж гудро-генератора/на фархадской 27с. Signed in pencil on sheet verso, top center: M. Пенсон. Inscribed in pencil on sheet verso, center: 67.
  • Provenance The artist; possibly to the artist's estate [1]; to Natan Fedorowskij, Berlin [2]; to Galerie Berinson, Berlin [3]; purchased by Thomas Walther, January 1993 [4]; purchased by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2001.
    [1] Hendrik Berinson, conversation with Simon Bieling, Galerie Berinson, Berlin, February 18, 2005.
    [2] MacGill/Walther 2001(3), p. 16.
    [3] Ibid.
    [4] Ibid.; and Galerie Berinson bill of sale, January 27, 1993.

Surface

  • Surface Sheen Semireflective
  • Techniques Retouching (additive)
    Enlargement
    Ferrotyping
    Retouching (reductive)
  • PTM
    Detail view of the recto of the artwork made using reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) software, which exaggerates subtle surface details and renders the features of the artwork plainly visible. Department of Conservation, MoMA
  • Micro-raking
    Raking-light close-up image, as shot. Area of detail is 6.7 x 6.7 mm. Department of Conservation, MoMA
    Raking-light close-up image, processed. Processing included removal of color, equalization of the histogram, and sharpening, all designed to enhance visual comparison. Department of Conservation, MoMA

Paper Material

  • Format Unknown
  • Weight Single weight
  • Thickness (mm) 0.17
  • UV Fluorescence Recto negative
    Verso negative
  • Fiber Analysis Softwood bleached sulfite 95%
    Hardwood bleached sulfite 5%
  • Material Techniques Developing-out paper
  • XRF

    This work was determined to be a gelatin silver print via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.

    The following elements have been positively identified in the work, through XRF readings taken from its recto and verso (or from the mount, where the verso was not accessible):

    • Recto: P, S, Ca, Zn, Br, Sr, Ba
    • Verso: Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Br, Sr, Ba

    The graphs below show XRF spectra for three areas on the print: two of the recto—from areas of maximum and minimum image density (Dmax and Dmin)—and one of the verso or mount. The background spectrum represents the contribution of the XRF instrument itself. The first graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the lower energy range (0 to 8 keV). The second graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the higher energy range (8 to 40 keV).

    Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
    Elements identified: Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ag, Ba
    Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
    Elements identified: Fe, Ag, Br, Sr

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