Historical Portrait
Thodur Einarsson and John Olafson, group portrait, photograph
Archive record
Photograph caption: At the rear of Thodur Einarsson's home, San Francisco. Thodur Einarsson is on the left, John Olafson on the right. Both men are Icelanders. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Thodur Einarsson performing Icelandic hymns on November 11, 1939, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Francisco, California.
About this photograph
This photograph was taken at the rear of Thodur Einarsson's home in San Francisco. Einarsson stands on the left, John Olafson on the right. Both men were Icelanders.
The photograph forms part of field materials documenting Einarsson performing Icelandic hymns on November 11, 1939. Sidney Robertson Cowell made the photograph and directed the recording session.
Cowell led the W.P.A. California Folk Music Project, which recorded and photographed traditional musicians across Northern California between 1938 and 1940. The project worked deliberately across immigrant communities rather than focusing on a single tradition, documenting Armenian, Icelandic, Italian, Portuguese, Mexican, Irish and Serbian musicians.
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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