What kind of art did James VanDerZee make?

What kind of art did James VanDerZee make?

Photography
James Van Der Zee/Forms

James VanDerZee is one of the country’s most distinctive portrait photographers. From his first experiments with a small box camera around the age of fourteen, his interest continued as he photographed friends and family in Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia for pleasure and occasional commissions.

What sorts of things did James Van Der Zee photograph?

Portfolio of Eighteen Photographs (1905–38) captures the entire range of Van Der Zee’s works: early photographs of his time in Phoebus, Virginia, portraits of his family in Lenox, and images of cultural life in Harlem, including his well-known 1932 photograph of a couple, donning sumptuous fur coats and posing in front …

Why did James Van Der take pictures?

Van Der Zee came out of retirement to photograph celebrities who in turn promoted his work in exhibits around the nation. His images were also the subject of books and documentaries. In 1993, the National Portrait Gallery exhibited his work as a posthumous tribute to his remarkable genius.

What were James Van Der Zee accomplishments?

James VanDerZee was an African American photographer during the Harlem Renaissance who was best known for his pictures that captured the lives of African Americans in New York City, New York. He had a gift for capturing the most influential individuals and riveting artistic moments of the era.

What does VanDerZee mean?

from the sea
Van der Zee is a Dutch toponymic surname meaning “from the sea”. It is relatively common in the province of Friesland.

Is Zee a Dutch name?

Reduced form of Dutch van der Zee.

What is James Van der Zee best known for?

James Van Der Zee. James Van Der Zee (June 29, 1886 – May 15, 1983) was an African-American photographer best known for his portraits of black New Yorkers. He was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Aside from the artistic merits of his work, Van Der Zee produced the most comprehensive documentation of the period.

Why is van der Zee important to the Harlem Renaissance?

He was a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Aside from the artistic merits of his work, Van Der Zee produced the most comprehensive documentation of the period. Among his most famous subjects during this time were Marcus Garvey, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and Countee Cullen.

Where did Louis van de zee start his studio?

He set up a studio at the Toussaint Conservatory of Art and Music with his sister, Jennie Louise Van de Zee, also known as Madame E Toussaint, who had founded the conservatory in 1911. In 1916, he and his second wife, Gaynella Greenlee, launched the Guarantee Photo Studio on West 125th Street in Harlem.

Why did van der Zee retouch his photos?

Negatives were retouched to show glamor and an aura of perfection. This affected the likeness of the person photographed, but he felt each photo should transcend the subject. His carefully posed family portraits reveal that the family unit was an important aspect of Van Der Zee’s life.