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John Lennon — The New York Years

Few photographers enjoyed the level of access to John Lennon that Bob Gruen did throughout the 1970s. From recording sessions and family moments to the iconic NYC T-Shirt portrait and the final photographs made in 1980, Gruen documented Lennon’s life in New York from an insider’s perspective.

This collection brings together photographs from John Lennon: The New York Years, tracing the artist’s transformation from former Beatle to New York cultural icon. Together, these images form one of the most important visual records of Lennon’s post-Beatles life and creative legacy.

89 works
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John Lennon, Yoko Ono & Nadya Gruen. Greenwich, Connecticut, 1973, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Nadya Gruen, Greenwich, Connecticut, 1973TMPG·4806
Bob GruenFrom $450
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Yoko Ono and John Lennon, New York City, 1973, photographed by Bob Gruen.
Yoko Ono and John Lennon, New York City, 1973TMPG·3910
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon and New York

1974
By 1974, John Lennon’s identity had become inseparable from New York. Bob Gruen’s photographs from this period include the Statue of Liberty, rooftop portraits, waterfront images, and the now-iconic New York City T-shirt session. Together, these works shaped one of the most enduring visual narratives of Lennon’s solo years: the former Beatle transformed into a New York cultural figure. More than portraits, these images helped define Lennon’s public image and his lasting association with the city he chose as home.
John Lennon wearing his iconic NYC T-Shirt in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, NYC T-Shirt, New York City, 1974TMPG·4198
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon. NYC, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, NYC T-Shirt Portrait, New York City, 1974TMPG·4998
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon wearing his iconic NYC T-Shirt in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, NYC T-Shirt Close-Up, New York City, 1974TMPG·6534
Bob GruenFrom $450
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Profile portrait of John Lennon wearing his iconic NYC T-Shirt in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, NYC Profile, New York City, 1974TMPG·0438
Bob GruenFrom $450
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Contact sheet from the NYC T-Shirt session featuring John Lennon in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, NYC T-Shirt Contact Sheet, New York City, 1974TMPG·7318
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon at the Statue of Liberty, New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, Statue of Liberty, New York City, 1974TMPG·2758
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon, NYC T-Shirt Close-Up, New York City, 1974
John Lennon, On the Wall, New York City, 1974TMPG·2662
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon making a playful gesture in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, Playful Gesture, New York City, 1974TMPG·2230
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon at the waterfront in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, Hudson River Waterfront, New York City, 1974TMPG·2134
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon on a rooftop in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, Smiling Rooftop Portrait, New York City, 1974TMPG·2854
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon. NYC, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, New York City, 1974 (15)TMPG·9366
Bob GruenFrom $450
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The Lost Weekend

1974
During the period Lennon later described as his “Lost Weekend,” he remained intensely productive. Recording Walls and Bridges, collaborating with Elton John and Harry Nilsson, performing at Madison Square Garden, and moving through New York’s music and nightlife circles, Lennon created some of the most memorable work of his solo years. Gruen’s photographs reveal both the energy and complexity of this chapter: a period of separation, experimentation, friendship, performance, and creative momentum.
Four portraits of John Lennon from the Walls and Bridges session in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, Four Faces, Walls and Bridges Session, New York City, 1974TMPG·1158
Bob Gruen$3,500
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John Lennon, Walls and Bridges Cover Session, New York City, 1974
John Lennon, Walls and Bridges Portrait (Without Glasses), New York City, 1974TMPG·9462
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon during the Walls and Bridges cover session in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, Walls and Bridges Portrait with Sunglasses, New York City, 1974TMPG·7942
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon during the Walls and Bridges cover session in New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, Walls and Bridges Smiling Portrait, New York City, 1974TMPG·5174
Bob GruenFrom $450
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John Lennon, the Record Plant, New York City, 1974, photographed by Bob Gruen.
John Lennon, the Record Plant, New York City, 1974TMPG·0694
Bob GruenFrom $450
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54 of 89 works