Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange c. 1936

Dorothea Lange’s 'Portret van Florence Owens Thompson' (1936), more commonly known as 'Migrant Mother', is one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century, encapsulating the despair and resilience of the Great Depression. Taken in Nipomo, California, during Lange’s work for the US Farm Security Administration, the image depicts Florence Owens Thompson, a 32-year-old migrant labourer and mother of seven, seated with two of her children nestled close and an infant in her lap. Thompson’s furrowed brow and distant gaze, paired with her children’s faces turned away, evoke the grinding poverty and uncertainty faced by displaced agricultural workers during the Dust Bowl era. The photograph’s composition—tightly framed, with Thompson’s weathered hands cradling her face—heightens its emotional intensity, transforming her personal plight into a universal symbol of maternal fortitude and hardship.  

Lange’s image swiftly became a defining emblem of 1930s America, catalysing public awareness and government aid to migrant camps. However, Thompson’s identity remained unknown for decades, and she later expressed ambivalence about the photograph’s fame, noting it brought her no direct benefit. Despite this, the portrait endures as a testament to both the human cost of economic collapse and the power of documentary photography to shape historical memory. Housed in the Library of Congress, the work remains a poignant reminder of endurance amid adversity, its stark monochrome tones continuing to resonate with audiences as a masterclass in visual storytelling. Lange’s ability to balance intimacy with social commentary ensures 'Migrant Mother' retains its place in the cultural consciousness.