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Images so elegant, sleek and stylish with such astonishing clarity they could be from the pages of a fashion magazine are on view at the Independence Seaport Museum at Penn’s Landing. They are, in fact, photographs of boats, the sea and the people who attend to the maritime. And, just as fashion photography has a goal to foster the urge to purchase, these photographs ignite the desire to get back to the water. Winter notwithstanding, a bit of frostbite sailing might be in order.
"The Art of the Boat — Photographs by Morris Rosenfeld & Sons" includes some 40 luminous platinum palladium prints taken by Morris Rosenfeld and his offspring.
"We are delighted to be the first museum to host this traveling exhibit of photographs from the Rosenfeld collection," curator Craig Bruns said. "The works of art in this exhibit are not only classic maritime images, they are classic American images."
The thousands of photos taken by the Rosenfelds are housed in Mystic Seaport, the largest single collection of maritime photography in the world.
Morris (1885-1968) started off as the 13-year-old winner of a $5 prize for a snapshot of a three-masted ship near the Brooklyn Bridge. He used the money to buy a camera and never looked back. He was a contemporary of such icons as Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams and Margaret Bourke-White.
Rosenfeld operated his own commercial studio and specialized in industrial, advertising, architectural, research and new photography. He also owned a "chase" boat dubbed the "Foto" and, whenever possible, was on the water covering races from speedboats to sailing yachts. The America’s Cup was a favorite subject.
Rosenfeld’s sons, Stanley, David and William, all were involved at one time or another in maritime photography, whether driving the chase boat, taking shots, working in the darkroom or all three. Stanley is the only one to follow in his father’s professional footsteps by becoming a well-known maritime photographer in his own right.
"My father had a deep-rooted appreciation of the sea, an innate artistic eye and a comprehensive knowledge of photography," Stanley wrote in the introduction to the Rosenfeld book "A Century Under Sail." "The yachts in his photographs always looked their best as it was against his nature to take an unflattering photograph of a boat."
That tradition of showing the vessel to its full advantage is a major part of maritime painting as well, where custom held the work was a portrait and any sailor or old salt should instantly be able to recognize it and describe its function and capacities.
Many of Rosenfeld’s images are taken from fantastic angles the casual viewer of a race or sailing yacht would never be able to see. For most of the first half of the 20th century, the Rosenfelds could be seen at all the major East Coast races achieving incredible positions in order to take difficult shots.
A measure of how precious these were to the Rosenfelds is clear in the prints themselves. If taking the image was an effort, then cropping, printing and preparing it for display was even more so. The water in these shots gleam, reflect and — amazingly enough — feel wet.
The light, line and cutting of the bow through the sea are carefully composed, just as a fashion frame exposes film, composes form and captures light. The results are captivating and make even the most timid Sunfish sailor putter about a pond with greater expectations.
A full array of prints, cards, memorabilia, etc., are featured in the gift shop with images from the collection also for sale. Anyone with a spare wall would do well to hang a Rosenfeld.
The Art of the Boat — Photographs by Morris Rosenfeld & Sons
Through April 27
Independence Seaport Museum
Penn’s Landing
211 S. Columbus Blvd.
215-413-8655
www.phillyseaport.
Tickets: $9 for adults; $8 for ages 65 and older and students; and $6 for ages 3-12.
