James VanDerZee
U.S., 1886-1983 Dress Rehearsal #1, 1933
Gelatin silver print
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Richard L. Sandor, 1999
This photograph of a theater troupe is
an example of James VanDerZee's documentation of the extraordinary
vitality of Harlem during the 1920s and 30s. The hundreds of photographs
VanDerZee created between the wars, during what later became known
as the Harlem Renaissance, overtly celebrated emerging black middle-class
life. Using the conventions of studio portrait photography, VanDerZee
carefully composed images that reflected his clients' dignity, independence,
and material comfort while characterizing the era as one of achievement,
idealism, and success
