Charles E. Rotkin (1916-2004)
Trafalgar Square
American: c. 1956-58
Black and white photograph
16 x 20 inches
Provenance: Estate of the Artist
Price on Request
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Trafalgar Square, London, England
Vintage Aerial Photograph by Charles E. Rotkin
Vintage Aerial Photograph by Charles E. Rotkin
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Original aerial photograph taken by Charles E. Rotkin of Trafalgar Square in London, England, for his book Europe: An Aerial Close-Up.
This photograph is published on page 29 of that work, with Rotkin’s description:
The 185-foot shaft protected by four bronze lions and flanked by plumed fountains is a tribute to Lord Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar in 1805 against a French-Spanish fleet. It was this victory that established Britain’s supremacy at sea and awakened Napoleon from his dream of the conquest of England.
On the left is Admiralty Arch, gateway to Whitehall and the route of most state processions from Westminster. In the upper right is St. Martin in the Fields Church, a landmark since 1726. Behind the main square is the National Gallery of Art, containing in addition to the collection of British masters (Gainsborough, Reynolds, Hogarth) an outstanding group of Holbeins and Van Dycks. In front of the gallery, weather permitting, artists crayon their pictures on the sidewalk. Years ago, one of them, a destitute French painter, called himself Maurice Vlaminck. The square itself is a frequent gathering place for political protests. But usually, and in all innocence, the Square is inhabited by nothing more than swarms of pigeons and starlings whose cooing and chirping, every evening, drown the roar of traffic as they settle for the night along surrounding ledges and rooftops.
Rotkin was a respected and prolific documentary photographer, widely published during the golden age of pictorial magazines, as well as in corporate publications. The works that brought Rotkin the greatest renown, however, were his pioneering aerial photography collections, Europe: An Aerial Close-Up (1958) and The U.S.A.: An Aerial Close-Up (1962, 1968). These books captured the popular imagination at the time, thrilling the public with novel perspectives of familiar places and the beauty of both the natural and the man-made environment. Rotkin can be seen as one of the heirs to the 19th- and early 20th-century tradition of bird's-eye views of American towns drawn by itinerant artists in the pre-aviation era and often made into prints. Of course, the earlier artists' work, though convincingly drawn and detailed, were typically imaginative projections based on their studies of the town from the ground. These became obsolete with the advent of the airplane and helicopter, which offered actual bird's-eye views, along with cameras that could take pictures at split-second shutter speeds. Rotkin was one of the early pioneers of the new medium and technique. His work remains significant as an early example of aerial photography with an artistic purpose, and also as historical documents of places that in many cases have significantly changed in the ensuing decades.
Read more biographical information here.
Condition: Our Rotkin photographs were used by the photographer himself, often in connection with the production of his books. Therefore, they have, to varying degrees, the usual expected light toning, wear, handling, soiling, soft creases, bumped edges, etc. Some have short marginal tears. Many were mounted on foam core by Rotkin. Many have Rotkin's markings -- stamps, inscriptions, or labels -- on the verso. For a detailed condition report including the markings on this photograph, contact us and be sure to include the title of the photo in your inquiry.