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rare mid-1950's original richard nickel silver gelatin photograph or print of the levi rosenfeld commercial building facade shortly before demolition

rare mid-1950's original richard nickel silver gelatin photograph or print of the levi rosenfeld commercial building facade shortly before demolition

SKU: UR-20257-14
reference only
very rare and original framed and matted gelatin silver photograph taken by richard nickel sometime in the mid-1950's. with i.i.t. the photograph depicts (in grate detail) the badly neglected levi rosenfeld building facade shortly before demolition in 1958. the 19th century commercial building was designed by the firm of dankmar adler and louis h. sullivan in 1882. during the time the photograph was taken, photographer richard nickel was pursuing graduate work under the guidance of instructor aaron siskind at the institute of design, which was apart of the illinois institute of technology. nickel and fellow students including, but not limited to, david norris, chuck swedlund and len gittleman were working feverishly to document any and all adler and sullivan buildings before demolition - which at the time, was happening at a feverish pace beginning in the 1950's. many more buildings would fall to the wrecking ball throughout the 1960's and early 1970's at the height of urban renewal or "slum clearance." the black and white rosenfeld photograph contains an i.i.t. stamp and richard nickel signature on the print verso. the original negative is likely held at the richard nickel committee archive. this may very well be the only existing print created from the negative by nickel himself.

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