The Pipe Smoker

1932, printed 1981

Prentice H. Polk

Associated Names
Prentice H. Polk

Artist, American, 1898 - 1984

The image shows the upper half of a person in a seated or standing position. The person is holding a small pipe in one hand and a lit match in the other, near the pipe. The facial features are in shadow, with a dark complexion. The person is wearing a hat made of patterned fabric with light ruffled edges, and a layered outfit with a light-colored apron over a patterned shirt. The setting is dimly lit with a smooth, indistinct dark background, focusing on the person in the foreground.
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Artwork overview

Associated Artworks

See all 11 artworks
This is a photograph of a red book cover. The cover is maroon with a plain serif font spelling out "P. H. POLK" in the center. The edges of the book cover show some roughness. The presentation is minimalist with a focus on the typography and color with no additional decoration.

[[PLACEHOLDER ARTWORK]]

The image shows a woman seated and looking to the side. She has a composed expression, styled hair and wears a wide-brimmed hat, a dark suit with a light-colored blouse, a brooch on her lapel, and matching earrings. The background is deep black.

Margaret Blanche Polk

Prentice H. Polk

1946

The image shows a woman from the waist up in a seated position, turned slightly to the side. She has short, curly hair and a composed expression. The woman is dressed in a sheer, light-colored garment with a high, ruffled collar and cape-like sleeves. Around her, there are no visible accessories or objects. The background features a blurred outdoor setting, suggesting a garden or a landscape with trees and buildings in the distance.

Mildred Hansen Baker

Prentice H. Polk

1937

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(South Light, Atlanta); Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, purchase, 1981; acquired by NGA, 2016.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2000

  • Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers, 1840 to the Present, Arts and Industries Building, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, February 4, 2000 – July 16, 2000

2002

  • Celebrating the Legacy: African American Art from the Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, January 10 – February 25, 2002

Bibliography

1980

  • Polk, P.H. P.H. Polk: Photographs. Atlanta, 1980: 17.

2000

  • Willis, Deborah. Reflections in Black. New York, 2000: 72.

Inscriptions

signed by artist, lower right below image in black ink: P. H. Polk

Wikidata ID

Q64158586

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