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Terms and conditions of use
Harbour Bridge support system
(1941); printed 1977
Medium
gelatin silver photograph
Measurements
28.4 × 38.4 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1986
Public domain
Gallery location
Gallery 8
Level 2, NGV Australia
About this work
During the 1920s and 30s Max Dupain was influenced by a radical approach to image-making known as ‘New Photography’. This movement embraced clarity, abstraction and a heightened awareness of form, aiming to more accurately reflect the experience of modern life. The construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, completed in 1932, became a powerful symbol of progress and modernity. Dupain’s architectural photographs, often featuring bold, simplified forms and dramatic vantage points, resonate with the bridge’s monumental presence and engineering precision. Using a sharp-focus lens and carefully composed frames, Dupain captured the spirit of an evolving urban landscape.
Artwork Details
Inscription
inscribed in pencil u.c.: TOP
inscribed in pencil (in image) l.r.: - Max Dupain '77 -
inscribed in pencil on reverse u.c.: TOP / "Harbour Bridge Support System" / - Max Dupain '77 -
Accession Number
PH84-1986
Department
Australian Photography
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Professor AGL Shaw AO Bequest