Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park

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Arbus' Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, New York City (1962)

Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, New York City, USA (1962) is a famous photograph by Diane Arbus. The photo shows a scrawny boy, with the left strap of his jumper awkwardly hanging off his shoulder, tensely holds his long, thin arms by his side. Clenching a toy grenade in his right hand and holding his left hand in a claw-like gesture, his facial expression is maniacal. Arbus captured this photograph by having the boy stand while moving around him, claiming she was trying to find the right angle. The boy became impatient and told her to "Take the picture already!" His tired, frustrated expression conveys his weariness with the whole endeavor.

The boy in the photograph is Colin Wood, son of tennis player, Sidney Wood. The photograph sold for $408,000 April 2005, New York at Christies Auction [1] This photo was also used on the cover of Punk Band SNFU's first studio album; And No One Else Wanted to Play. The photo is also sometimes cited as the partial inspiration for Bart Simpson.

Diane Arbus is mentioned in the first season Simpsons episode "Homer's Night Out" Bart develops a photograph of Homer and one of the other children remarks, "He brings to mind the later work of Diane Arbus".