“Rita Aarons, wife of photographer Slim Aarons, on a lilo in a swimming pool decorated for Christmas, Hollywood, 1954. The Hollywood sign can be seen in the distance.”

Previously on Skandalon

Rights Info: No known restrictions on reproduction. Repository: Library of Congress, Serial and Government Publications Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Part Of: Chronicling America (Library of Congress) (DLC) - lccn.loc.gov/2007618519 

The table is set

Previously on Skandalon

Comics.com: Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz (Original publish date Dec 25, 1962)

Check the book on Amazon. Read the press release from the Boston University Art Gallery. Read the Wikipedia entry for “vernacular photography”.

See also Square America

Nicholas Osborn is the founder of SquareAmerica.com: “Square America is a site dedicated to preserving and displaying vintage snapshots from the first 3/4s of the 20th Century. Not only do these photographs contain a wealth of primary source information on how life was lived they also constitute a shadow history of photography, one too often ignored by museums and art galleries. Or at least that’s what I tell people- more accurately, the site is a catalog of my obsession with vintage photographs. For the last eight years or so I’ve spent countless hours digging through boxes of old snapshots at flea markets (mostly here in Chicago and in NYC) and too much money buying photos on eBay.” (read more) Follow his blog. Consider buying his book.

Previously on Skandalon

Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and their son.

“Slim Aarons, born George Allen Aarons (October 29, 1916, Manhattan - May 29, 2006, Montrose, New York), was an American photographer noted for photographing socialites, jet-setters and celebrities.” (Wikipedia). More photos by Slim Aarons over at Staley+Wise Gallery

See Nickolas Muray’s set on Flickr.

Artist’s statement: “Broadway explores New York City’s greatest avenue, traversing many social and economic demographics, it continues to define the big apple in the 21st century. Since embarking on Broadway in late 2006, and even before that, I have always been mesmerized at how life unfolds on the streets of New York. Pedestrians, cars, bicycles and anything imaginable moving in and out within mere inches of each other, even with the chaos surrounding everything in a city of this magnitude people seem to be in their own world. From daily commuters rushing past one another to work as if neither existed to tourists gazing into the lights of Times Square the heartbeat of New York can be found on Broadway. These photographs explore simple and fleeting moments. Originally Broadway was a Native American foot trail, soon taken over by the first Dutch settlers. Running from Bowling Green at the tip of Manhattan winding its way through the financial and theatre districts, times square, the bronx and small towns on the hudson river eventually coming to an end near Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County. Broadway defines New York, yet is constantly changing. These photographs are a record of Broadway its residents and visitors. This is still a work in progress…” (from Courvoisier officiel website)

“Norman Percevel Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978) was a 20th century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States, where Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine over more than four decades. (Wikipedia)

Read “The History Behind Norman Rockwell and the Saturday Evening Post Covers” over at the Norman Rockwell Museum of Vermont website.

“Employes and bosses loosen up all over the place”

I first found the link to this issue of the LIFE Magazine via Retrospace. It has a great post on office Christmas parties, along with photos and quotes.