John Gutmann Analysis

John Gutmann was one of America’s most distinctive photographers. Gutmann was born in Germany where he became an artist. He later fled Germany due to the Nazi’s because he was a Jew. Gutmann moved to San Francisco and re-established himself as a photojournalist captivating the lives of Americans. He mainly took photographs of people who were imperfect like himself because of his Jewish nationality. Gutmann targeted the poor, circus folk, the gay community and the rich. Two of Gutmann’s works are An Exhausted Crippled Beggar Asleep at the Roadside to a Temple, and Feathers and Sequence. In Gutmann’s first work, An Exhausted Crippled Beggar Asleep at the Roadside to a Temple, there is an old crippled man lying on the ground. The man only has …show more content…
In the first image, the old man’s point of view is birds eye, with us looking down on him. This makes him appear smaller and inferior to the viewer. Looking down on the crippled man makes the viewer feel superior to him. Also, the horizontal lines from the rocky edges of the ground create a peaceful and silent vibe to the image. However, in the second image the women is seen having a larger proportion. This makes the viewer feel as if she is superior and that she is important and respected in some way. Also, the vertical lines in the background behind her create a feeling of power and confidence. Another point that separates these two photos is body language. The old man’s body language is very different from the woman’s body language. Firstly, the man’s body language shows us he is inferior. He is curled up into fetal position, as if he was a baby and helpless. He is covering his face, showing that he is ashamed. He has only one foot telling the viewer that he has lost it disgracefully in some way, possibly through war. His body is tense, making him look as if he is in pain. He knees and legs are nothing but bone. However, the women’s body language is the complete opposite. Her right arm is placed behind her head gracefully, as if she is modeling or posing. Her left arm is gently placed on the fluffed ruffles. Her head is tilted slightly to the right and she looks very calm and relaxed. She almost looks like she is leaning back and taking a load off. Her facial muscles are relaxed and poised, and her eyes are calmly focusing on something ahead of her. Both images contrast in their size proportion and in their conflicting body