E.J. Bellocq remains an ambiguous figure in history. Following his death in 1949, eighty-nine glass plate negatives of portraits of female prostitutes from New Orleans’ Storyville district were found in his desk. All of the images were taken circa 1912. Photographer Lee Friedlander acquired them and made contact prints of the 8 x 10 negatives on the same gold toned printing-out paper that Bellocq used in his rare prints. Friedlander is credited with salvaging and promoting the work. The mystery surrounding the photographs and the personality of E.J. Bellocq is furthered by the fact that many of the plates were cracked, scratched, or damaged at the time when Friedlander acquired them. E.J. Bellocq: Storyville Portraits and Bellocq are two monographs that illustrate this work.
E.J. Bellocq
Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing-out paper, gold toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet)

Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing-out paper, gold toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet)

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing-out paper, gold toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet)
Portfolios
E.J. Bellocq: Storyville
Made around 1918, Bellocq’s beguiling photographs of women remain as enigmatic as their maker. His subjects are posed relaxing in domestic and outdoor environments, sometimes nude, sometimes with faces obscured by intentionally damaged photographic emulsion. Apparently unknown during the artist’s time, the negatives were found and subsequently printed by Lee Friedlander.

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned , 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing-out paper, gold toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. Bellocq, Storyville Portrait, ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (image & sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned , 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing-out paper, gold toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]

E.J. BellocqStoryville Portrait
ca. 1912
printing out paper, gold-toned, 10 x 8 inches (image & sheet) [25.4 x 20.3 cm]
Exhibitions

E.J. Bellocq: Storyville Portraits
Sep 12–Oct 19, 1996

Long Story Short: Anniversary Exhibition
Oct 24, 2019–Jan 18, 2020

Several Exceptionally Good Recently Acquired Pictures VIII
Jul 7–Sep 2, 1994

Several Exceptionally Good Recently Acquired Pictures VII
Jun 8–Aug 21, 1993
In the Shop
Selected Museum Exhibitions
The Mysterious Monsieur Bellocq
International Center for Photography | New York