Seminal Work

This year is the 70th anniversary of Robert Frank's masterpiece, The Americans. Amy Davies finds out more about a republished edition of the book

- Amy Davies

Many who are fans of documentary photography cite The Americans as a big inspiration. Shot during 1955 and 1956, this year it turns 70 years old. The following seven decades have of course produced hundreds, if not thousands, of influential documentary photographers – ask any of them to name a hero, and I’d be willing to bet that many of them would cite Frank’s masterpiece.

The work was first published in France in 1958, before making its way over to the States the following years. We’re often featuring midcentury American work in this magazine – the interest in it never seems to wane – but this is something particularly special.

2025 also marks the centenary of Robert Frank’s birth. That Frank was still relatively young while creating this piece is perhaps worthy of note, too. It’s arguably what also made him connect with the subjects so well – still young enough to be brave enough to venture into all corners of life, while old enough to have been around the block.