[African American man in suit, head-and-shoulders-portrait, facing front]

Archive record

1 photographic print on carte de visite mount : albumen ; 10 x 6 cm.

About this photograph

This carte de visite was produced by M. Wolfe in 1870. The mounted albumen print follows the conventions of studio portraiture, presenting the sitter in formal dress.

Studio portraiture held particular significance in Black communities during this era. Sitting for a formal photograph was a deliberate assertion of dignity and standing, made at a time when published images of African Americans were largely caricatures. Black-owned studios operated in many cities, serving clients who were often refused by white establishments or treated poorly when they were not.

The absence of the sitter's name in the catalogue record reflects the record-keeping practices of the period rather than the circumstances of the sitting itself. Records from this era routinely left Black sitters unnamed while documenting the names of white subjects.

Compiled from the catalogue record and reference notes on the formats and events involved. The archive record above is the primary source.

About the format

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