Snapshots of the Past

[View of New York City from two miles in the air] – Antique Photo Print

[View of New York City from two miles in the air], c1922. — historic photograph
[View of New York City from two miles in the air], c1922.. Historic photograph from the New York City collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

Few images capture their era like this historic photograph of [View of New York City from two miles in the air]. The original is held by the Library of Congress, so what you hang is a true record of its time.

Order it framed and ready to hang, or unframed to match a frame you already love. It makes a striking addition to a living room, study or office, and a thoughtful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past has been bringing history to the wall since 2001, for tens of thousands of customers worldwide.

[View of New York City from two miles in the air]

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Taken from roughly two miles up, this view shows Manhattan's dense streets and rooftops as few people in the 1920s could have seen them. Aerial photography was still a young craft then, having grown out of military reconnaissance during World War I, and high-altitude shots like this one required open cockpits, heavy cameras, and steady hands against cold and engine vibration. The copyright notation in the record suggests the maker sought legal protection for the image, a sign of how valuable bird's-eye views had become. Look closely at the street grid to see how the city's planned order and crowded density appear from the air.

Created / publishedc1922.
Medium1 photographic print.
GenreAerial photographs 1920-1930.Photographic prints 1920-1930.
NotesJ257689 U.S. Copyright Office.
SubjectsNew York (N.Y.)--1920-1930.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan4,096 × 3,303 px · prints to 14 × 11 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-189132

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