Distinguished African American couple sit for portrait after the Civil War.
The male subject wears a plaid vest and looks just off camera, while the female subject, likely his wife, wears a circular brooch and gloves, sitting with her hands crossed on her lap. Both subjects' cheeks are lightly tinted pink. J. Fenton's photography studio is notable for its many por...
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Photo |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Philadelphia?] :
[J. Fenton],
[between 1870 and 1879?]
|
| Subjects: |
| Summary: | The male subject wears a plaid vest and looks just off camera, while the female subject, likely his wife, wears a circular brooch and gloves, sitting with her hands crossed on her lap. Both subjects' cheeks are lightly tinted pink. J. Fenton's photography studio is notable for its many portraits of African-Americans subjects. Philadelphia, where J. Fenton's studio was located, was a center for abolitionist activity in the 19th century. African-Americans were teachers, doctors, ministers, barbers, caterers and entrepreneurs catering to the black community. The city was also a major stop along the Underground Railroad. Though these photos are undated, Fenton's portraits of black Americans are generally dated to the 1870s, the decade following the Civil War as well as the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment giving African Americans the right to vote in 1870. They show an emerging community of African American professionals at the beginning of black life in northern cities following emancipation. All four borders have what appear to be black markings from the original chemical process of the tintype, this area would have probably been covered by the photograph frame. Many large tin types had large oval brass frames which could have been the case here. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | Title devised by bookseller. Attributed to: Philadelphia, J. Fenton. |
| Physical Description: | 1 photoprint : black and white tintype ; 17 x 22 cm |