The Story Behind this Iconic Margaret Bourke-White Photograph

In April 1952, towards the end of her prestigious photography career, Life ran a twelve page article with Margaret Bourke-White’s photographs, entitled, “A New Way To Look At the U.S.: Camera and helicopter give an exalted view of the land.” From her unique vantage point on her “flying tripod,” Bourke-White and her helicopter delivered striking photographs of landscapes, buildings, and the monuments of our nation, all captured from new angles. 

One such shot was this “Statue of Liberty” photograph, showing tourists in the colossal crown of the monument with the New Jersey shore in the background. Bourke-White took this shot by urging the pilot of the helicopter to move closer to the iconic statue, which actually resulted in her almost being arrested. This photograph became an enduring image for Bourke-White and is one of her most collected and coveted.

This celebratory collage includes the “Statue of Liberty” limited edition estate-issued photograph, numbered 4/50+10 and blind-stamped in the lower right margin with the artist’s signature. The photograph is paired with a note written by Bourke-White to the famous explorer and writer, Edna Robb Webster. Webster penned an article about Bourke-White, ultimately published in the March 1955 issue of Independent Woman and entitled “Tells the Story of Our Times in Photographs.” Bourke-White’s note is penned on the front and back of her own “Bourke-White Studio” business cards.