Bill Cunningham's Playful Photographs of 1970s New York

Well before Bill Cunningham became famous for his candid fashion photographs taken around the streets of New York for the Times, he was already immersed in the city's buildings and streetscapes, showing them off in a playful series of images now on display at the New York Historical Society in an exhibit titled Bill Cunningham: Facades.

Facades shows a project Cunningham worked on between 1968 and 1976 where, instead of capturing stylish strangers, he put models (most often his muse and fellow photographer, Editta Sherman) in vintage costumes while consciously using the city as a backdrop. Until June 15, the NYHS will be showing 80 of these images, which he donated to the Society right after completing the project. For context, they're displayed alongside reproduced architectural drawings already in the NYHS's collection.