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Babe Ruth

Portrait Gallery

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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Object Details

Artist

Nickolas Muray, 15 Feb 1892 - 2 Nov 1965

Sitter

George Herman ("Babe") Ruth, 6 Feb 1895 - 17 Aug 1948

Exhibition Label

Nickolas Muray’s iconic portrait of Ruth was one of five known photographs he took in a special session in 1927. Ruth, looking dour, was no doubt just following the photographer’s instructions not to smile. But that year Ruth had every reason to be pleased about his baseball prowess; he achieved a long-standing record of hitting sixty home runs, and he was playing on his fifth World Series championship team. He was at the apex of his remarkable career, which would come to an end in 1935 with his last hit—an out-of-the-park home run—his 714th!
El icónico retrato de Ruth tomado por Nickolas Muray es una de las cinco fotografías que se conocen de una sesión especial de 1927. Con apariencia severa, el modelo seguramente siguió la indicación del fotógrafo de que no sonriera. Pero ese año Ruth tenía muchas razones para estar contento con sus destrezas beisboleras: logró un récord de sesenta jonrones que reinaría por mucho tiempo y se encontraba en su quinta Serie Mundial. Estaba en la cumbre de su notable carrera, la cual llegaría a su fin en 1935 con un batazo que sacó la bola del parque, ¡su jonrón número 714!

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Date

1927 (printed 1978)

Object number

NPG.78.150

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Copyright

© Nickolas Muray Photo Archives

Type

Photograph

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Dimensions

Image: 24.6 × 19.7 cm (9 11/16 × 7 3/4")
Sheet: 25.4 × 20.4 cm (10 × 8 1/16")
Mat: 55.9 × 40.7 cm (22 × 16")

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Location

Currently not on view

Data Source

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Equipment\Sports Equipment\Baseball Equipment\Baseball bat
Equipment\Sports Equipment\Baseball Equipment\Baseball glove
Costume\Headgear\Hat\Cap\Baseball cap
George Herman ("Babe") Ruth: Male
George Herman ("Babe") Ruth: Sports\Athlete\Baseball
Portrait

Metadata Usage

Usage conditions apply

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4bac8ba33-edae-4bfd-bb7d-ed97fc4b87fd

Record ID

npg_NPG.78.150

Discover More

Spirit of St Louis plane

1927: A Year in the Collections

Babe Ruth at Yankee Stadium

Preserving Baseball History: Art, Artifacts, and Memorabilia

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