Diane Arbus

A Jewish giant at home with his parents in the Bronx, N.Y. 1970

About this artwork

This is one of Arbus’s most famous pictures and one of her best-known subjects – a ‘Jewish giant’ called Eddie Carmel. Eddie worked in carnival sideshows and as an actor in monster B-movies. Arbus photographed him a number of times and described the family dynamics: "The parents are orthodox and repressive and disapprove of his carnival career … When he stands with his arms around each he looks like he would gladly crush them. They fight terribly in an utterly typical fashion which seems only exaggerated by their tragedy." True to her description, this could be a conventional family portrait, were it not for the apparent look of fear in Mrs Carmel’s face as she looks up at her son, who stands cramped and bowed by the traditional family sitting room.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Diane Arbus (1923 - 1971) American
  • title:
    A Jewish giant at home with his parents in the Bronx, N.Y. 1970
  • date created:
    1970
  • materials:
    Gelatin silver print on paper
  • measurements:
    37.60 x 37.00 cm (framed: 61.80 x 62.00 x 1.80 cm)
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund, 2008
  • accession number:
    AR00508
  • gallery:
This artwork is part of Artist Rooms
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Diane Arbus

Diane Arbus