The Search for Identity, Number Three by Clarence John Laughlin (1941)

“The Search for Identity, Number Three” is a photograph by Clarence John Laughlin from the year 1941. This evocative black-and-white image portrays a figure standing within the ruins of a building. The walls appear heavily deteriorated with cracks and missing plaster, exposing the underlying brickwork. The figure is centered in a doorway, with their face obscured in shadow, giving an air of mystery and anonymity. In the background, another empty window frame is visible, through which debris and the decayed interior of the building can be seen. The use of light and shadow, along with the textures of the decaying structure, contributes to the photograph’s haunting and contemplative atmosphere.

Other Photographs from Clarence John Laughlin

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