If you clicked around the min and max ages enough, you might have seen a repeat artist in multiple decades. German photographer Ilse Bing was the youngest artist in the 1910s, and one of the oldest artists in the 1980s. Both images are self portraits, but the image that she made at 89 was a collage, a style she experimented with later in life. The collage features an image of her when she was younger and in a way, acts like the visualization itself. In one image, we see a snapshot of an artist both at the start of their creative life and at the end of it.

To highlight this insight, I decided to give Ilse Bing a personal timeline, featuring all of her work in the NGA collection. Born in Frankfurt in 1899, Bing began her photographic pursuits early in life after she was given a Kodak box camera at age 14. Pioneering in avant-garde photography, Bing worked extensively in cities such as Frankfurt, Paris, and New York. In addition to numerous portraits, Bing was primarily interested in urban motifs. She was fascinated by architectural elements and structures as well as urban hustle and bustle. Her way of working repeatedly explores the tracing of symmetry and rhythm in the experience of everyday situations. Reflections can often be found in her work as well, like in rain puddles, rivers and seas.

Hover over each circle to view Bing's work.