James Van Der Zee: Preserving the Legacy of a Harlem Renaissance Photographer
The Met Acquires Archive of Photographer James Van Der Zee’s Work
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) has recently acquired an extensive archive of work by renowned Harlem Renaissance photographer James Van Der Zee. This acquisition, made in collaboration with the Studio Museum of Harlem, includes approximately 20,000 prints and 30,000 negatives, providing an invaluable record of 20th-century Black life in Harlem.
James Van Der Zee: A Pioneer in Harlem Photography
James Van Der Zee was born in Lenox, Massachusetts in 1886. He moved to Harlem in the early 1900s, where he opened his Guarantee Photo Studio in the mid-1910s. Van Der Zee’s studio became a hub for the Harlem community, and he quickly established himself as one of the most successful photographers in the neighborhood.
Over the following decades, Van Der Zee captured iconic images of Harlem’s vibrant culture and its prominent figures. His subjects included renowned artists, activists, and entertainers such as Marcus Garvey, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Mamie Smith, and Countee Cullen.
Documenting Harlem’s History
Beyond his studio portraits, Van Der Zee also documented Harlem’s history through his street photography. He captured images of everyday life, from parades and street scenes to community events and civil rights protests. Notably, he took some of the only photographs of the victory parade for the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the “Harlem Hellfighters,” after their return from World War I.
Artistic Innovation
Van Der Zee was known for his innovative techniques and artistic vision. He experimented with photo montages, superimposing images to create unique compositions. He also hand-tinted some of his photographs, adding a vibrant touch to his portraits.
“He had an extraordinary knowledge of lighting and printing and manipulation and coloring,” said Jeff L. Rosenheim, the curator in charge of the Met’s department of photography.
Preservation and Legacy
The acquisition of Van Der Zee’s archive by the Met ensures the preservation of his invaluable work. The museum will conserve and scan the negatives, and it has acquired the copyright to reproduce the images. Van Der Zee’s studio equipment and ephemera will also be included in the archive.
The Studio Museum of Harlem, which already owns a portion of Van Der Zee’s archive, will continue to retain ownership of those materials. The museum’s Expanding the Walls photography program for high school students uses Van Der Zee’s images as inspiration for their own work.
“His very particular vision has the power to be inspirational to generations of artists who have seen the possibility of what it means to chronicle in time and place a people and a culture,” said Thelma Golden, director and chief curator at the Studio Museum. “His work inspires them to look at their world with precision and record it in the present.”
A selection of photographs from the Van Der Zee archive is currently on view at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., through May 30, 2022.
