Historical photographs have been diverse since photography became an accessible art and a form of communication, but what is the true story of the most famous photographs of the last hundred years?After all, behind every click, there’s always a story to tell.will reveal the facts involving the defining moment of each click of the series “The Story Behind Famous Photographs”.
Today we will tell the story of the photograph The Tank Man (or The Unknown Rebel), while the photo of the anonymous boy who circulated around the world as a heroic figure became known after being filmed and photographed during the protests in Tiananmen Square , China. .
- It was on June 5.
- 1989.
- Several photographs of the man.
- Standing in front of a column of Chinese Type 59 tanks.
- Were taken.
- Forcing them to stop in protest.
- But it was the photograph taken by American photographer Jeff Widener that printed newspapers around the world.
The historical context of the photo is very important. The demonstration in Tiananmen Square consisted of a series of student-led demonstrations in the People’s Republic of China, named after the place where the People’s Liberation Army suppressed mobilization: Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the country’s capital.
The protesters came from different strata of Chinese society: from intellectuals who believed the Communist Party government was repressive and corrupt, to city workers, who believed that economic reforms in China had not improved the social status of the population.
Jeff Widener captured the photo for The Associated Press? From the balcony of Hotel Beijing?About 800 meters from the stage. Widener was injured and had the flu that day, at the time he did not think the photos were good, even though they were quickly reproduced around the world.
Photography of tank man remains a mystery today, because nothing is known about the identity of the man photographed.For nearly three decades several theories arose about what would have happened to him after the photo.further fuels interest in the history of this iconic photograph.