A man lights a fellow worker's cigarette as they take a break on a Chrysler Building gargoyle. This photograph was captured on a historic 35MM film camera, which is part of it's beauty- so the archival look is presented well when printed, instead of ultra high-definition camera prints. Smoke Break – Vintage New York Photo, Chrysler Building, 1940. This black and white image captures two workers lighting cigarettes while seated on one of the Chrysler Building’s eagle-headed gargoyles high above Midtown Manhattan. The photo captures a moment when New York’s skyline was still being shaped by the people who built it—often without harnesses, safety rails, or second thoughts. This print fits well in interiors that lean industrial, architectural, or historically grounded. A natural fit for collections focused on early 20th-century photography, New York iconography, or visuals that blend calm with vertigo.
