Being an artist and a photographer are two different careers. For James Van Der Zee, he created art out of photography of Harlem during its renaissance in the 1920s and 1930s. The National Gallery of Art, Washington displays various portrays that Van Der Zee took and documented, including the negatives. Unlike most portraits showing the life of Africa Americans as enslaved people and protestors, James Van Der Zee captures the happy, contented, and spirited African American. Through his art, James Van Der Zee can capture the essence of the African American, the spirit of Harlem, and a reflection of his life as an African American. The art of interest in the “Portraits of Harlem” exhibit in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, is the “Portrait of a Married Couple” of 1924.
The “Portrait of a Married Couple” is a black and white studio portrait of two African Americans, presumably a couple. The size of the piece is a 4:3 frame ratio. The art is in the West Building Ground Floor of the National Gallery of Art. In the portrait, a woman with short, neck-cut hair has her left hand on her waist and the other on the man. She has a ring, pearl earrings, and a necklace as her pieces of jewelry. Theatrical background, marble tile, flowers, and patterned tablecloth create an abundance of texture in the portraits. Their stare seems dreamy, accentuated by the image’s gently focused borders. The African American man has a tuxedo on, with a ring on his little finger and a bow tie. The two sitters are smiling without showing their teeth, an expression of contentment. In the background, there is a prop of a Greece-style pillar and a sky and trees beneath it. There is a vivid shadow of the African American man on the prop. The studio portrait is an artistic element of James Van Der Zee with the black and white lighting.
The photo illustrates the rich life of black people living in Harlem during its renaissance. The couple maintains composure in the portrait, showing they are happy. It also shows a strong sense of comfort between the couple with each other. James Van Der Zee expresses the celebration of social scenes among African Americans. It shows how the rite of marriage is a celebratory experience. Most African Americans were not allowed to have events as most seemed to be planning something against the White government (Gill, 2011). The couple is holding hands; they are smiling and look contented with each other. The props, such as the jewelry and flowers, show that it is a celebratory experience. Van Der Zee decorates his sitters to bring their best selves and express some personalities. Being in Harlem enabled them to celebrate such experiences, which the portrait documented.
Additionally, Van Der Zee aimed to capture his subjects’ individuality, character, and natural beauty. His images are not only documentation; but also celebrations of Harlem lifestyles marked by opulence and respect for minor pleasures — a tuxedo, pearl earrings, and a good dress. In general society, white Americans might consider themselves the center of the world, but African Americans could not. Showcasing James’ work at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, is an opportunity to create awareness of the rich black culture.
One of the intentions expressed in the studio portrait is James Van Der Zee’s blend of the photography business and artistic expression. James Van Der Zee had not always been a photographer. According to his book “The Harlem Book of the Dead,” James Van Der Zee was first a pianist, then a violinist (1978). He then discovered his passion for photography by capturing every moment in Harlem. James Van Der Zee set his photography studio at 135th Street in Harlem, the buzzing point for all social events. There were nightclubs, chapels, funeral homes, and numerous shops. The street was filled with people socializing, and James Van Der Zee captured those moments. Additionally, people who wanted a more elegant-looking photo than random photos in the streets would go to the photo studio. Today, James Van Der Zee converted the photos into the art scene in museums.
Additionally, the studio portrait shows James Van Der Zee’s love for Harlem as a hub for Black Excellence. In the 1880s, the Harlem district in the upper side of Manhattan was to be an upper-class white community. However, fast suburban sprawl resulted in vacant houses and desperate owners looking to fill the houses (Gill, 2011). A few middle-class African Americans family from another area known as Black Bohemia relocated to Harlem in the early 1900s. Some white people battled to keep African Americans away from the region at first, but when that failed, many whites departed. By 1920, over three hundred thousand African Americans had relocated to Harlem, making it a popular destination for the black community. It was a pride for the black community to belong somewhere fully; thus, capturing moments in Harlem and expressing them through photographs was a proud moment for James Van Der Zee.
Moreover, the art expresses the spirit of the sitters as the people of Harlem. The Whites had excluded many African Americans from attending visual art schools or museums and expressing themselves artistically (Gill, 2011). Like any other creative person, people of the black community with creative ideas, like James Van Der Zee found a space which is Harlem, that allowed them to express their creative works. The portrait of a married couple is an artistic expression of James Van Der Zee because he found the avenue to express it. It is also the artistic expression of the sitters who can pose for the photo and create memories. As many White Americans denied African Americans access to galleries and art, they created their own such as James Van Der Zee.
In addition to artistic expression, James Van Der Zee’s portrait of the married couple shows artistic talent. James Van Der Zee called himself an artist and not a photographer for a long time. In a record by Van Der Zee’s book, he notes that a photographer can take photos and print them. However, he knew how to capture people’s different angles and edit them (Van Der Zee, 1978). The married couple’s photo is in black and white in the portrait. One can tell what the photo would look like in a polychromatic frame as the woman seems to be wearing a purple dress, and the flowers are a mix of pink and white. The proper editing enables one to discern the colors in a monochromatic picture which James Van Der Zee achieved.
Nonetheless, James Van Der Zee retouched the negatives to give the photos a rich essence. According to Boone, Zee went above and beyond with his “retouches,” embellishing subjects with jewels in some images (2020). For instance, in the studio portrait, the African American woman had pearl earrings and a ring on her ring finger on her left hand. The man also has a ring on his little finger in his right hand. There is a high possibility that these ornaments were not there in the first place. Van Der Zee notes that there was a time when people did not need photos as many people had cameras (1978). Therefore, he asked people to bring in their old photos so that he would retouch them to keep his business afloat. This way, he was able to continue expressing himself artistically.
Van Der Zee created these retouching effects by drawing on the negatives with something opaque, most likely a pencil, creating an aesthetically pleasing portrait. When the negative used was to generate a print, the pencil lines obstructed part of the light traveling through it. When a photograph forms, the less light touches an area, and the lighter that region appears. As a result, bright or white lines in a photograph are created by graphite lines in a negative. Under a microscope, retouching can appear sloppy, yet without amplification, a viewer is unlikely to tell the picture has been edited. In contrast to the deeper shadows, the white lines provide the impression of a mid-tone region. These effects were a way for James Van Der Zee to show his artistic talents, significantly how he added shiny jewelry that complemented the dark African American skin.
The value of the artwork is high as it has a significant history behind it and has influenced various movements. For instance, one of the movements that emanated from Harlem was the Black Pride Movement which enabled African Americans to work on establishing their culture in the United States of America (Gill, 2011). James Van Der Zee’s works are the pieces that inspire artists to embrace the African American culture in Harlem. Additionally, leaders like du Bois in Harlem have grown to ensure movements like the Black Pride Movement live on through generations. James Van Der Zee also influenced other black photographers, such as Dawoud Bey, who have made it their life’s purpose to document series concerning black lives. Though the value of the portrait has not been established, its value is very high due to the massive influence it has on the African American community.
Artistic expression in the Black community was always a complicated thing, especially with the barrier from Whites. However, artists such as James Van Der Zee changed the narrative through photography, enabling more African Americans to express themselves artistically. In the National Gallery of Art, Washington, “Portrait of a Married Couple,” one particular portrait shows a well-dressed African American man and woman. James Van Der Zee shows their best selves through proper lighting. Unlike most portraits of the black community, which highlight the problems that African Americans go through, this portrait shows the beauty in marriage and a prosperous life among African Americans. The couples appear contented, happy, and comfortable in their skin. James Van Der Zee intends to show the rich culture in Harlem, his roots, the celebration of social scenes, and his artistic talents. The portrait has an excellent aesthetic quality in lighting and editing the photos. The portrait has a high value due to the creator’s impact on the African American community.
References
Boone, E. (2020). Reproducing the New Negro: James Van Der Zee’s Photographic Vision in Newsprint. American Art, 34(2), 4-25.
Gill, J. (2011). Harlem: The Four Hundred Year History from Dutch Village to Capital of Black America. Open Road+ Grove/Atlantic.
Van Der Zee, J., Dodson, O., & Billops, C. (1978). The Harlem book of the dead. Morgan & Morgan, Incorporated.
Van Der Zee. J. (1924). Portrait of a Couple [Online Image]. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Robert B. Menschel Fund, Gelatin silver print.