James Van Der Zee: Eighteen Photographs

A leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance, James Van Der Zee is best known for his documentary and studio portraits of African Americans from an emerging and thriving middle class. Born in 1886 in Lenox, Massachusetts, Van Der Zee discovered photography while in high school, adding a sophisticated eye to an already formidable musical ear. He worked as a piano and violin teacher before opening his own photo studio in Harlem during the height of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and '30s. He received numerous accolades and recognition for his contributions to, and documentation of, American history; he was named a permanent fellow of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, received a Living Legacy Award from President Carter, and was granted an honorary doctorate from Howard University. Nearly a century later, Van Der Zee’s photographs stand as a cornerstone in American photography, providing an important peek into an inspiring moment in the country’s social, economic and artistic identity.

The plates are as follows:

1. Mrs. Turner, Lenox, Massachusetts, 1905
2. Whittier Preparatory School, Phoebus, Virginia, 1907
3. The Van DerZee Men, Lenox, Massachusetts, 1908
4. Kate and Rachel Van Der Zee, Lenox, Massachusetts, 1909
5. Miss Suzie Porter, Harlem, 1915
6. Nude, Harlem, 1923
7. Marcus Garvey and Garvey Militia, Harlem, 1924
8. Garveyite Family, Harlem, 1924
9. Dancer, Harlem, 1925
10. Portrait of An Actor, Harlem, 1929
11. Swimming Team, Harlem, 1925
12. Wedding Day, Harlem, 1926
13. Black Jews, Harlem, 1926
14. Atlantic City, 1930
15. Portrait of Two Brothers and Their Sister, Harlem, 1931
16. Couple, Harlem, 1932
17. The Heiress, Harlem, 1938
18. Daddy Grace, Harlem, 1938