%C2%A9 Estate James VanDerZee
Untitled (Beauticians Volunteer Corps), 1943
James Van Der Zeeexpand_more
Gelatin silver printexpand_more
Anonymous Giftexpand_more 88.90.5
Not on Viewexpand_more
James VanDerZee was the preeminent portrait photographer in Harlem during the 1920s and 1930s. His photographs display Harlem’s growth as a center of Black culture at that time, a period known as the Harlem Renaissance. His studio catered to a range of clients from proud parents, police officers, shopkeepers, and newlyweds to celebrities including Marcus Garvey (activist and businessman), Bill Robinson (tap dancer and actor), and Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. (congressman). VanDerZee's career spanned more than seventy years, but his work first achieved broad recognition by the majority-white art world beyond Harlem only in 1969, when it was included in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s controversial exhibition titled Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America, 1900-1968.
Details
- Title
- Untitled (Beauticians Volunteer Corps)
- Artist Life
- 1886–1983
- Role
- Photographer
- Accession Number
- 88.90.5
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
© Estate James VanDerZee