George Tames, “Jfk in the Oval Office (The Loneliest Job),” Silver Gelatin Print, 1967

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An iconic 1967 silver gelatin photograph by New York Times photographer George Tames. Capturing President John F. Kennedy alone at … Read more An iconic 1967 silver gelatin photograph by New York Times photographer George Tames. Capturing President John F. Kennedy alone at his desk, this vintage print is one of the most enduring images of American political history.

George Tames — “John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office (The Loneliest Job in the World)”

Vintage 1960s silver-gelatin print from the 1961 negative, with an original 1967 purchase receipt signed by George Tames affixed to the frame verso. This iconic New York Times image has been an inspiration in presidential histories and echoed in later Oval Office portrayals (including The West Wing).

George Tames made this photograph in 1961 while on assignment in Washington for The New York Times. Seen from behind at the Oval Office windows, President Kennedy is alone with the work of the day—light, stance, and quiet that define why the picture is known as “The Loneliest Job in the World.” A handwritten note on the frame back reads: “The Loneliest Job in the World — White House Press Photographers Association ‘Best of the Year’ 1962,” referencing period recognition and early reception of the image.

The print itself is not observed signed, and it has not been examined out of the frame.

Medium: Silver gelatin photograph on fiber paper
Image/Sheet: image approx. 9.5 × 13 in; sheet 11 × 14 in
Date: negative 1961; vintage print, c. 1960s
Framing: Professionally framed under UV-filtering museum glass, ready to hang. Framed size: 16.25" H × 20.25" W (depth ~1").

Condition: Very good vintage. Clean, crisp image. Minor handling and subtle ripples typical of 11×14 fiber prints. See photos of the surface, edges, verso note, and the 1967 signed receipt.

Provenance: Private collection; 1967 George Tames–signed receipt affixed to frame verso and included in the sale.

Shipping: Ships boxed and flat, insured and tracked. Signature required on orders ≥ $500.

READY TO GIFT!

Keywords: JFK photograph, George Tames, Oval Office, “The Loneliest Job in the World,” New York Times, White House, presidential history, silver gelatin, black and white, vintage print, photojournalism See less