Historical Portrait
Portrait of a Man in a Hat by James Van Der Zee
Archive record
Portrait of a man in a hat photographed by James Van Der Zee in Harlem, c. 1920-1955. Public domain historical photograph from the Harlem Renaissance era.
About this photograph
This portrait was made by James Van Der Zee, who worked in Harlem between about 1920 and 1955. The sitter is unidentified in the catalogue record.
Studio portraiture held particular significance in Black communities during this period. Sitting for a formal portrait was a deliberate assertion of dignity at a time when published images of African Americans were dominated by caricature. Black-owned studios served a clientele that white studios often refused or treated poorly.
The record's lack of the sitter's name reflects cataloguing practices of the era, which frequently left Black sitters unnamed while identifying white ones.
Compiled from the catalogue record and reference notes on the formats and events involved. The archive record above is the primary source.
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