Dorothea Lange

Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother, Nipomo Valley, 1935, Gelatin Silver Print.

1. Describe the photograph.

A middle-aged woman is made the main subject. Her hair appears to be a rather messy and unkempt, and she is frowning with worry, as can be seen from the wrinkles across her forehead, her crow’s feet and her furrowed eyebrows. Her facial expression is filled with worry and she seems rather distressed. She is propping her head on her hand and is gazing into the distance, probably deep in thought.

She is wearing rather old, tattered clothes that are frayed at the sleeves, and is holding her sleeping baby in her other hand. Her two other children surround her, one on either side of her. Their heads are turned away from the viewer, as if in shame and they too have unkempt hair and are wearing simple clothing. The mother contrasts greatly with the children by her side, who are cast away in the shadows, enabling her to stand out.

The photograph is in black and white, which reflects the dullness and simplicity of their lives, and the hardship and suffering of the Great Depression.

2. How does the artist create movement?

Lange creates movement through the use of line and texture. The creases on the mother’s forehead and the creases on their clothes are a representation of motion. Moreover, the rough textures of their old and ragged clothing enable the viewer’s eye to move over the work.