Cervin Robinson

Photographer, historian and critic Cervin Robinson is recognized as one of the most distinguished American architectural scholars. Born in Boston to an architect and his wife, Robinson’s interest in topography, perspective and the cultural significance of cities and buildings developed at the encouragement of his father and grew during his two-year duty in the U.S. Army. After earning a B.A. in English literature from Harvard, he worked as an assistant to Walker Evans in New York (1953-57), an experience that further sparked his fascination with American architecture. Over the years he has received numerous commissions from historical societies, the Library of Congress, architects and architectural magazines, and the film industry. Robinson’s still photographs served as backdrops for Superman and Superman II.

Robinson lectures and writes regularly for various architectural and academic periodicals, and has taught architectural photography at Columbia University. He has been a contributing editor of Places for many years.