Ilse Bing (1899-1998) was one of several leading women photographers in the inter-war period. Born into a Jewish family in Frankfurt, she initially pursued an academic career before moving to Paris in 1930 to concentrate on photography. She moved to New York during the second world war and later returned to Paris, where this photograph was taken. Bing's earlier influences of the German New Photography, characterised by experimentation, light manipulation, stark angles and geometric shapes are still evident, but have been altered by the sense of isolation she felt when living in New York. 'Photography is a youthful art', Bing remarked, 'As I got older, I was at a greater remove which manifested itself at a greater optical remove'. This view from Bing's window suggests vicarious observation, and uses an abstract composition to frame the detailed view over the road - distanced and partly obscured by the curtain.