John Gutmann (1905–1998) was one of America’s most distinctive photographers. Born in Germany where he trained as an artist and art teacher, he fled the Nazis in 1933 and settled in San Francisco, reinventing himself as a photo-journalist.
In the America of the 1930s, Mr. Gutmann found an exuberant car culture, a dizzying array of billboards and graffiti, a racially diverse citizenry, music and dancing in the streets and young women galore. He photographed them all.
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| Early drive-in restaurant, Hollywood, 1935 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Artillery on Market Street, San Francisco, 1934 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Street Musicians, New Orleans, 1937 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Man Walking by Clown and Lady Graffiti, San Francisco, 1939 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| High ride, 1937 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Mobile, Alabama, 1937 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Texas Women, Texas, 1937 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Selling Apples: No. 1 Broadway, New York, 1936 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Kids Reading Comics, San Francisco, 1938 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Automobiles Parked at the beach, Oregon, 1934 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Death stalks the Filmore, 1939 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| First Drive-in theatre, Los Angeles, 1935 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Pop Advertising, San Francisco, 1939 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Bicycle of a Mexican Barber, San Antonio, 1937 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| A portrait of Count Basie, San Francisco, 1939 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| “Cash for your car”, San Francisco, 1939 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| National Guard tanks, San Francisco, 1934 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Elevator Garage, Chicago, 1936 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Out of the Pool, San Francisco, 1934 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Cord in Harlem, NY, 1936 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Bare Back, San Francisco, 1939 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Reach, San Francisco, 1938 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Warriors, Harlem, 1936 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| The Lesson, Central Park, New York, 1936 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Tee-Peeing the Vieux Carré, Mardi Gras, New Orleans, 1937 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Lunch hour, San Francisco, 1934 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| The Cry, 1939 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| National Guard on the truck, San Francisco, 1934 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Man in a hurry, New Orleans, 1937 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| The Fleet is In, San Francisco, 1934 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| “Yes, Culumbus did discover America”, San Francisco, 1938 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Omen, 1934 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Wyoming car, 1936 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Majorettes in Parade, California, 1939 |
35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s
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| Class (Olympic High diving champion Marjorie Gestring), San Francisco, 1936 |