Terms and conditions of use
Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California
(1936); printed (c. 1975)
Medium
gelatin silver photograph
Measurements
49.4 × 39.6 cm (image) 50.6 × 40.7 cm (sheet)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1975
Public domain
Gallery location
Special Exhibitions Gallery
Ground Level, NGV International
About this work
In March 1936 Dorothea Lange visited a pea-pickers camp, where she photographed Florence Thompson and her children. This image, capturing Thompson’s worried expression as her children cling to her, came to symbolise the Great Depression’s hardships and became one of Lange’s most recognisable works. Beyond hardship, the photograph conveys unconditional maternal care, positioning Thompson as the quintessential mother figure. The simplicity of the photograph resonated with 1930s America, and helped to promote public support of the Farm Security Administration’s relief efforts. However, Lange’s portrait did not communicate important contextual details about the subject’s life, including her Native American heritage, and later caused Thompson’s family distress over its widespread use.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Nipomo, California, United States
Accession Number
PH90-1975
Department
International Photography
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Daryl and Anne Whinney