James Van Der Zee

American, 1886 - 1983

James Van Der Zee was known as the preeminent photographer of Harlem, a neighborhood often referred to as the “Black mecca.” He captured its essence through depictions of people and places. And in 1916, he established Guarantee Photo Studio on 125th Street.

In the 1920s and ’30s, Van Der Zee portrayed the vibrant spirit of the “New Negro.” This movement was characterized by the cultural resurgence of Black art, writing, and music. Van Der Zee photographed both ordinary citizens and socialites, looking past class divisions and combatting racial stereotypes.

Van Der Zee highlighted the elegance of his sitters using studio backdrops, props, and enhancement techniques such as hand-coloring and retouching. His photography, especially during World War I, earned widespread acclaim. In 1969, his work was rediscovered and included in the exhibition Harlem on My Mind: Cultural Capital of Black America, 1900–1968 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The artist’s extensive catalog captures the essence of Harlem’s cultural wealth.

Explore selected works

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This black-and-white photograph shows a group of people standing and sitting in front of the doorway of a building. The group consists of adults and children of different ages. The group is large, and the people in the back appear to stand on stairs in front of the doorway, while the people in the front stand and sit on the gray sidewalk. The adults are mostly in the back of the group while those in the front are children, although two adult men are positioned on either side of the front row. The man on the left holds a book and wears a light gray suit with a light gray tie, while the man on the right wears a black suit with a white shirt and a black bow tie. Everyone else in the group is dressed in light-colored clothing, with the women and girls wearing dresses and the men and boys wearing collared shirts, some with ties. The people are gathered closely together, most looking at the camera with neutral expressions. The people have a variety of skin tones, from light to medium-toned to dark. Most of them seem to have dark hair. Two buildings frame the group on either side; on the left is an unmarked brick building, and on the right is a building with a large window and a sign labeled "Morticians 257 Funeral Directors." along with other signage. Two people can be seen through this window looking out towards us, and more people are looking out from a window at the top of the photograph.
James Van Der Zee, Group Portrait, Church of God, Harlem, 1933, gelatin silver print, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, 2018.110.1

Group Portrait, Church of God, Harlem

James Van Der Zee · 1933 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2018.110.1
Five young Black men wearing uniforms sit on the front steps of a brick building around a sixth young man, who holds a basketball in this vertical black and white photograph. Three more men stand in a row behind them. They pose on steps leading up to a door covered with a flag and a sign with the Greek letters for alpha phi alpha. The seated men, the players, wear knee pads, knee-high socks, and sleeveless tank tops with the Greek letters. One of the men in the background wears an Alpha Phi Alpha sweater over a shirt and tie. The next wears a sweater jacket and the third a suit jacket, all over shirts and ties. The artist signed this photograph by inscribing the negative, “VANDERZEE N.Y.C. 1926.”
James Van Der Zee, Alpha Phi Alpha Basketball Team, 1926, gelatin silver print, Corcoran Collection (The Evans-Tibbs Collection, Gift of Thurlow Evans Tibbs, Jr., 1996), 2015.19.4507

Alpha Phi Alpha Basketball Team

James Van Der Zee · 1926 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4507
This black-and-white photograph shows a tall woman standing upright in a long, draping gown. She is positioned in the center of the image, her body angled toward us, and she looks off to the left, smiling. The woman has dark skin and curly black hair adorned with a band of small, white flowers. She has a white earring in her ear and wears a delicate necklace. She wears a long, elegant, long-sleeved gown that drapes to the floor, and her hands are covered by white gloves. She holds a large, elaborate bouquet of white flowers. The setting includes lush potted plants on either side of her, and a painted backdrop depicting a serene, cloudy sky. The floor is dark, with some stacked boxes visible in the bottom right corner of the photo.
James Van Der Zee, Portrait of a Bride, c. 1930, gelatin silver print, Alfred H. Moses and Fern M. Schad Fund, © James Van Der Zee Archive, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2021.33.1

Portrait of a Bride

James Van Der Zee · c. 1930 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2021.33.1
An elegantly dressed Black man and woman stand facing and looking at us, slightly smiling, in a room in this vertical photograph. The image is monochromatic like a black and white photograph but is printed in warm tones of golden and dark browns. To our left, the man has short-cropped hair and is cleanshaven. He has dark eyes, a rounded nose, and his lips are closed in a slight smile. He wears a three-piece tuxedo and holds a bowler hat and cane in his right hand, on our left. He pulls his suit jacket back to hook his other thumb in his vest pocket. He wears rings on each of his pinky fingers and a chain crosses his vest, tucked into the same pocket as his thumb. The woman stands with her left hand, on our right, on her hip and her other hand resting on the man’s shoulder. She has a delicate nose, dark eyes, and her closed lips turn up slightly at the corners. She has a cheek-length bob haircut and wears dangling earrings and a necklace with a pendant. Her ankle-length, sleeveless dress is beaded with geometric and scrolling patterns. Some of the beads and the ring she wears on the third finger of the hand on her hip catch and reflect the light. An upholstered chair sits to our left and a wood side table with an urn filled with flowers and a telephone stands to our right. The telephone has a conical earpiece hanging from a stand with a flaring mouthpiece. The backdrop behind the people has a painted or wallpapered section to our left and an arch leading to a curtained window to our right. Parts of the photograph are noticeably out of focus, particularly in the background and the flowers. The artist signed the work with white letters against the dark shadows under the seat of the chair, near the lower left corner: “VAN DER ZEE NYC 1924.”
James Van Der Zee, Portrait of a Couple, 1924, gelatin silver print, Robert B. Menschel Fund, 2000.83.1

Portrait of a Couple

James Van Der Zee · 1924 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2000.83.1
The image depicts a woman playing the violin. She is standing between two columns, wearing a knee-length dress with colorful stripes. She has short, wavy hair, a headband, bracelets on her wrists, and two-tone shoes with straps. The background features intricate designs and draped curtains.
James Van Der Zee, Violinist, c. 1956, gelatin silver print with applied color, Avalon Fund, © James Van Der Zee Archive, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2019.127.3

Violinist

James Van Der Zee · c. 1956 · gelatin silver print with applied color ·  Accession ID  2019.127.3
The image depicts a person in a defensive stance, with their fists raised in front of their face. The person has short, curly hair and is wearing a sleeveless tank top and high-waisted boxing shorts with a stripe on the sides. Their hands are wrapped with white boxing hand wraps. The background is plain and light-colored, and the image is in black and white.
James Van Der Zee, Boxer's Stance #4, 1950s, gelatin silver print, Avalon Fund, 2019.127.21

Boxer's Stance #4

James Van Der Zee · 1950s · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2019.127.21
The image shows a male boxer in a classic fighting stance wearing Everlast-branded boxing gear, including gloves, shorts, and shoes. The boxer has a focused expression, short hair, and is standing in a neutral background.
James Van Der Zee, Golden Glove Boxer, c. 1954, gelatin silver print, Avalon Fund, 2019.127.1

Golden Glove Boxer

James Van Der Zee · c. 1954 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2019.127.1
The artwork is a black-and-white photograph showing a man standing and facing the camera. The upper half of his body is visible. He is wearing a military uniform, which includes a double-breasted coat with buttons and a cap featuring an emblem. His facial expression is neutral. The background is blurred and includes a textured wall with a circular sign that says "U.S." on it. There is a handwritten note on the lower left corner of the image that reads "VAN DOE REED, 1944."
James Van Der Zee, Soldier, 1944, gelatin silver print, Avalon Fund, 2019.127.13

Soldier

James Van Der Zee · 1944 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2019.127.13
The image shows a person standing on a stage or a decorated area. The person is positioned with arms raised and has facial hair. They are wearing a traditional headpiece that partially covers the hair, leaving only the face visible, and a striped garment beneath a long dark robe or cloak. The setting is elaborately decorated with potted plants and various decorative elements. The stage is patterned with intricate tiles, and overhead lighting and a chandelier are visible.
James Van Der Zee, Richard Benson, Daddy Grace, Harlem, 1938, printed 1974, gelatin silver print, Alfred H. Moses and Fern M. Schad Fund, 2021.22.1.18

Daddy Grace, Harlem

James Van Der Zee, Richard Benson · 1938, printed 1974 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2021.22.1.18
This is a photograph of a room with a white piano, paintings, and lavish furnishings. The piano has intricate carvings and bears the inscription "Steinway & Sons, Hamburg - New York, Fabrik...". A plush bench with a floral cover is next to the piano. A large framed painting is on the left wall, and a decorative lamp sits on a table nearby. Rich velvet curtains hang between doorways, leading to a seating area with cushioned chairs and mirrored furniture. The walls have framed artwork, and a chandelier hangs from the ceiling, illuminating the room.
James Van Der Zee, Richard Benson, The Heiress, Harlem, 1938, printed 1974, gelatin silver print, Alfred H. Moses and Fern M. Schad Fund, 2021.22.1.17

The Heiress, Harlem

James Van Der Zee, Richard Benson · 1938, printed 1974 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2021.22.1.17

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