The Magnum Square Print Sale
For one week, twice a year, Magnum Photos offers a selection of 6x6“ estate-stamped limited edition prints created from its archives in an online sale known as The Magnum Square Print Sale. Selected work is centered around a theme such as ‘Youth’ or ‘Spectacle’. Since its beginning in 2014, The Square Print Sale has featured over 1,600 images around 24 themes, and has partnered with artistic institutions including Aperture, The Photographer’s Gallery, and Granta, to offer programming related to the current theme. Below are the Wayne F. Miller Estate’s contributions to the Magnum Square Print Sale over its ten-year history.
US President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s official visit. Ankara, Turkey. December 1959.
Wayne Miller’s images from that trip were published in LIFE, TIME, Sports Illustrated. It was a 13-country trip, with film mishaps along the way. Miller shared in his notes ‘...200mm lens wobbled…lost 21mm viewfinder…camera wet and had to be taken apart...open film cases…developing film on the press plane…
— Wayne F. Miller Estate
Jeanette's hands. Arlington, VA. 1945.
Wayne Miller photographed his firstborn, ‘reaching for the future.’
Children were the most important element in Miller’s life. His interest in children led to the books, A Baby’s First Year, in 1953, co-authored with Dr. Benjamin Spock, and The World is Young in 1958. His optimistic view of life led him to work with Edward Steichen in developing The Family of Man exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1955. Even though that period in American life was overshadowed by Cold War fears, the exhibit was enormously successful, some said because the exhibit glowed with positivity for ‘what comes next.’
After photography, Miller turned to forests and redwood trees. He always said it was about the future with trees; he would plant a tree knowing it would grow large enough for his children to sustainably harvest in 80 years.
— Wayne F. Miller Estate
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. New York City. 1948.
Tear. Dana Miller. March, 1950.
The Dana’s tear photograph has the luminous even light found in many of Wayne Miller’s images. He most often used natural light, positioning his subject for best advantage. Dana was relaxed, accustomed to her father’s movements, and allowed herself to be unhappy.
— Wayne F. Miller Estate
Orinda, California. 1950.
At the Pine Grove school in Orinda, there were periodic dances for the 12-14 year-old kids. They got dressed up and went to the gymnasium which had chairs lining the walls with crepe paper crisscrossing above. Then a boy came to ask a girl to dance, and the dancing was so fun. This was the time of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Gene Vincent with Be-Bop-A-Lula.
This image is in the World is Young project Wayne Miller embarked on in 1955-1958. He was convinced children’s lives had not been explored photographically. He followed his children and their classmates through three years covering classes, school yards, dances, fights, friendship and everything else he could find.
— Wayne F. Miller Estate
Chicago, Illinois. 1947.
This was at the Eddie Nichols Gymnasium at 50th and State in Chicago, a popular gym for young boxers. Joe Louis worked out there. This image appears in the photo book of Wayne’s, the Chicago South Side 1946-1948, documenting the Great Migration of African Americans from the South.
— Wayne F. Miller Estate